


i write sins not tragedies

by AnotherAmericanTragedy_20



Series: if the world was a song (would you play it for me?) [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempted Kidnapping, BAMF Ahsoka Tano, BAMF Anakin Skywalker, BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Fluff, Female Anakin Skywalker, Fix-It, Fluff and Humor, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Ahsoka Tano, Kidnapping, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Multi, No Beta We Die Like Clones, POV Ahsoka Tano, POV Anakin Skywalker, POV Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Protective Ahsoka Tano, References to Depression, Rule 63, Team as Family, The Force, Young Anakin Skywalker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27570592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherAmericanTragedy_20/pseuds/AnotherAmericanTragedy_20
Summary: She sat down next to the girl.“You’re reckless, little one. You would’ve never made it as Obi-Wan’s Padawan.” She paused, and waited, trying to anticipate the girl's reaction.“But you might make it as mine.” And that smile, the smile that split across Anaka’s face, one filled with so much joy, and excitement, and gratitude, made the entire not-so-horrible day worth it.[OR: It's not Anakin Skywalker who is apprenticed to Obi-Wan Kenobi, it's Ahsoka Tano, although under completely different circumstances. Now, as she finally finds her place in the Clone Wars, she takes on Anaka Skywalker as her apprentice: The snarky, intelligent, maybe Chosen One. The galaxy won't know what hit it.]
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: if the world was a song (would you play it for me?) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023867
Comments: 28
Kudos: 69





	1. Snips and Skygirl (Part l)

**Author's Note:**

> Listen you guys... I stayed up til 11:30 freakin PM to finish this, when I have to get up at FIVE tomorrow. If that’s not commitment, I don’t know what is. So basically, in a nutshell, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon help Padme’s ship on a completely different planet. They never find Anaka, who, in this Universe, is only, like one
> 
> Five years later, Obi-Wan has already been knighted, and is thirty, so he takes on 13 year old Ahsoka Tano. When Obi-Wan takes Ahsoka as his Padawan, Anaka is seven, and had been brought to the temple four years ago, when Qui-Gon had been sent in a mission to Tatooine, and found Anaka crying alone, because Jabba had killed her mother, (though he didn’t know that) because they had never been sold to Watto. 
> 
> He brings Anaka back to the temple, and then dies at an undisclosed point and time which will be revealed later.
> 
> Geonosis is explained in this chapter, and the Clone Wars start in pretty much the same way. Now, the Council has selected a Padawan for the infamous Knight Tano: the unorthodox, believed to be chosen one (but the council hasn’t revealed this information, only Anaka and council know) Anaka Skywalker.
> 
> Enjoy!

“...breaking a whole unit.”

“Fire at will.”

“Squad 2, pick your target!”

“There’s too many, captain!”

“Watch your stabilizer, Gold 6.”

“Anybody, cover me, I’ve got two vultures on my tail!”

“We gotta hold them here!”

“Watch your left!”

“I can’t shake ‘em! I’m hit, I’m hit!”

“Where’s our reinforcements?!”

Ahsoka Tano was not having a good day. It was shortly after the battle of Geonosis, and Count Dooku’s droid army had seized control of major hyperspace lanes. Hyperspace lanes the Republic  _ needed _ , since it separated the Republic from a majority of the clone army. Fun.

But first- Geonosis. Hadn’t  _ that _ been fun. First, she got to meet Senator Amidala, who she had been assigned to protect, while Master Obi-Wan got to go to Kamino and do all the fun stuff. 

Then, of course, while on Naboo, they received the com call from Master, who had gotten himself captured  _ again _ . So of course, instead of listening to the council, she and Padmé had decided to go to Geonosis. Where they had gotten captured after discovering a droid factory, and then the clone troopers arrived, and then she and her Master had faced off against Dooku, who had struck them with a bunch of sith lighting before Master Yoda intervened. So, of course, war.

Now, on Christophsis, she and her former Master had to fight said droids. 

“They’re back!” She called over her shoulder, to where Obi-Wan was running towards her.

“I told you this victory was too easy.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“We never should have sent the ship back for supplies.” She turned around, and glared at him.

“It wasn’t  _ my _ idea to send the ship back.” (A/N: Ahsoka will look and dress how she does in Rebels, and have green saber’s, since she never left the order.) Obi-Wan, as predicted, ignored her.

“All right, men. Second wave incoming.” Ahsoka looked back to her Captain.

“Rex, you and your men follow me.” Obi-Wan turned to his commander.

“Cody, battle positions!” He nodded, before running forward, yelling,

“Up to the front!” 

  
  


***

All around them, battle raged, clone troopers firing with their blue bolts, battle droids marching forward in perfect synchronization. They were losing, that much was obvious. For every droid they took down, three more troopers fell. Ahsoka gritted her teeth. They needed those reinforcements  _ now _ . Once they had all lined up behind a fallen piece of metal, Obi-Wan yelled, “Fire,” and the Republic started blasting back. 

The droid army was unrelentless, but so were the clones. Blaster shots ricocheted off buildings, droids fell, clones dropped like flies. But now wasn’t the time for mourning. Now, they needed to win. Obi-Wan stood shoulder to shoulder with his clones, blue blade as fast as lightning, deflecting the bolts with the infamous form three.

“Tano should’ve attacked by now!” He was reminded.

“Don’t worry, she knows the plan!”

***

Ahsoka stood on top of the dome-shaped building, staring down at the passing droids. Behind her stood part of the 501st.

“What’s our plan of attack, sir?” Ahsoka stared forward, blue eyes intent on the droids. She turned her head around, sly glance coming over her face.

“Just follow me, boys,” And with that she jumped from the top of the building, straight down onto the droid underneath, no time for extravagant twirls or somersaults that her master from another universe would have bothered with. (Not that she would know this.) She landed on top of the droid, while her clones used their jet packs to fly to the ground, and started firing at the monstrosity of a machine that she was on.

Her green blades were in her hands, swirling dangerously around her while she deflected the red shots. The tide was starting to turn in the Republic’s favour, more and more droids were falling, or being sliced in half by lightsabers.    
  


The droid she was on eventually fell, and she moved on to another, and another. Sparks were shooting, blaster bolts were flying, lightsabers twirling, and Ahsoka let herself get lost in the rhythm of the battle. Eventually, she found herself beside her Master again.

“We’re gonna need reinforcements,” She reminded him.

“We haven’t been able to get through to the Admiral!” Their cannons were working, however, because soon they were retreating. 

“Master, they’re pulling back!” She exclaimed. They turned around to see a shuttle flying towards them, gray stark against the teal and glass of the building surrounding them. He grinned back at her.

“Looks like help has arrived.” They started walking towards the shuttle, where it was landing.

“Our cruiser must be back,” He started,

“Which means we’ll get our reinforcements.” She finished for him. He gave her a small grin.

“Then it looks like our problems are solved. Fresh troops, new supplies, and perhaps they’ve brought my new Padawan with them.” She grimaced at the word “Padawan.” 

“You really think it’s a good idea to bring a Padawan learner into this, Master?” He continued walking, ever determined.

“I spoke to Master Yoda about it. You should put in a request for one. You’d make a good teacher.” She chuckled.  _ As if _ .

“Thanks, but no.” 

“Ahsoka,” He reprimanded. “Teaching is a privilege. And it’s part of a Jedi’s responsibility to help train the next generation.” The ship had finally descended, and the ramp was starting to open up.

“Master, a Padawan would slow me down.” He shook his head.

The ramp had finally opened, and out stepped a girl. (A/N: Picture her wearing Ahsoka’s season one outfit, but the tube top has sleeves, and the belt doesn’t have the flap thing.) 

“A youngling?” Obi-Wan questioned. Ahsoka’s face was puzzled.

“And, who are you supposed to be?” The girl strode forward confidently, blonde hair piled up atop her head in a messy bun, except for the bare padawan braid that hung behind her left shoulder. Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled in confusion.

“I’m Anaka. Master Yoda sent me. I was told to tell both of you that you have to get back to the Temple immediately. There’s an emergency.” Ahsoka stepped forward.

“Well, if you haven’t noticed, but we’re in a bit of a tight spot here too.”

“Yes, our communications have been a bit unreliable, but we’ve been calling for help.” Ahsoka glared at Obi-Wan. Sure,  _ now _ he decided to pipe up. 

“Yod- Master Yoda hadn’t heard from you, so he sent me to deliver the message.” If they noticed her slip up that would have been considered disrespectful, they didn’t comment on it. Ahsoka sighed, and turned away, frustrated.

“Great. They don’t even know we’re in trouble.” Anaka tilted her head up, blue eyes sparking with- was that, defiance?

“Maybe you could relay a signal through the cruiser that just dropped me off. I could do it, I’m good with mechanics?” Obi-Wan grinned at her, and Ahsoka glared, but they nodded nonetheless.

***

They stood on Chrisoptosis, waiting, with the girl, what did she say her name was- Anaka. 

“...But I’ll try to make contact with the Jedi temple for you. Stand by.” Ahsoka turned her focus back to the clone that was speaking to them, shaking her leg in boredom. She turned to her left, where she could see Anaka doing the same.  _ Huh _ .

Finally, a pixelated, miniature version of Yoda appeared from the holotable.

“ _ Master Kenobi, glad Anaka found you, I am. _ ” Obi-Wan’s expression hardened.

“Master Yoda, we are trapped here, and vastly outnumbered. We are in no position to go anywhere or do anything. Our support ships have all been destroyed.” If Master Yoda noticed the hardening of his tone at the end, he didn’t make any indication of it.

“Send reinforcements to you, we will.” The transmission flickered and fluttered.

“Master Yoda, Master Yoda!” Obi-Wan called, trying to keep the connection. Anaka rushed forward to fiddle with the button on the side, but Ahsoka grabbed her arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Anaka glared at her.

“I told you- I’m good with this kind of stuff. I got the transmission working the first time- I can get it back!”

“No, you might make things worse.” Anaka opened her mouth to retaliate, but then they got commed through to the troopers on the ship. 

“We lost the signal. We have to leave orbit immediately, more enemy ships have just arrived. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.” The transmission cut out. Anaka glared at Ahsoka, but didn’t say anything. 

“Well, we’ll just have to hold out longer.” She shared a look with Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan turned back to Anaka.

“My apologies, young one. It’s time for a proper introduction.” He stepped forward, and folded his arms respectfully behind his back.

“I’m the new Padawan learner, Anaka Skywalker.” A trace of annoyance seeped into her voice, Ahsoka noticed, but was gone by the end of the sentence. Obi-Wan nodded.

“I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi, your new master.” Anaka flinched, every so slightly, at the word ‘master.’ Confusion glazed over her eyes.

“I’m… at your service, Master Kenobi, but I was told I’m actually assigned to Master Tano.” Ahsoka jumped.

“What? No, no, no. There’s gotta be a mistake. He’s the one who wanted a new Padawan.”  _ Damn the Jedi Council _ , she thought angrily. 

“No,” She cut in, crossing her arms.  _ Kark, she’s stubborn _ . “Master Yoda was  _ very _ specific.” She didn’t sound as pleased about the whole arrangement, either. Nevertheless, she continued.

“I’m assigned to Ahsoka Tano, and she’s to supervise my training.” She gave a smirk at the end. Obi-Wan grinned slightly at her, and turned back to Ahsoka. She glared at him. 

“But that doesn’t make any sense!” She protested.

“We’ll have to sort this out later.” Obi-Wan cut off Ahsoka. “It won’t be long before those droids figure out a way around our cannons.” She scowled.

“I’ll check on Rex at the lookout post.” Obi-Wan grinned that grin at her, and she hated every second of it.

“You’d better take her with you.” Ahsoka sighed, but with a jerk of his head, motioned for her to follow. Anaka gave a cocky grin, and followed after her.

***

“What’s the status, Rexo?” She grinned at her favorite Captain.

“Quiet for now, sir. They’re gearing up for another assault.” He glanced at Anaka, who was wondering slightly ahead, looking at everything in well concealed reverence.  _ She’s strong in the force _ .  _ Very strong _ .

“Who’s the youngling?” Anaka turned around, plastering a large grin on her face that she just  _ knew _ would annoy her new Master.

“I’m Master Tano’s Padawan. The name’s Anaka. Anaka Skywalker.” Rex raised an eyebrow at Ahsoka.

“Sir- I thought you said you’d never have a Padawan.” Ahsoka rolled her eyes.  _ She didn’t have a new Padawan _ !

“There’s been some sort of mix-up. The youngling isn’t with me.” Anaka rolled her eyes. Then, her face lit up.

“Stop calling me that! You’re stuck with me, Snips.” She gave another shit-eating grin, and waved a finger. The clones laughed, the traitors.

“What did you just call me? Don’t mistake your place here, little one. You know, I don’t even think you’re old enough to be a Padawan.” She put her hands on her hips, and raised an eyebrow.

“Well maybe I’m not, but Master Yoda thinks I am. You’re going to go against Master Yoda?” She made a motion of putting her hand dramatically on her chest, and staggered back. The clones snorted again. Ahsoka scowled.  _ She thinks she’s so smart, huh. _

“Well, you’re not with Master Yoda now. So if you’re ready, you better start proving it.” Anaka gave her a cheeky thumbs up. 

“Sure thing, Snips!” She glared at her for interrupting.

“Captain Rex,” She continued, a little more cooly, “Will show you how a little respect can go a long way.” Rex stuttered.

“Ah… um, right. C’mon, youngling.” She stared at the ground.

“Padawan!” Anaka sang through gritted teeth. 

***

“Have you thought about moving that line back, Captain? They’d have much better cover that way.” Rex looked at her.

“Thanks for the suggestion, but General Tano thinks they’re fine where they are.” Anaka rolled her eyes. Then her eyes lit up.

“So, if you’re a captain, and I’m a Jedi, then, technically I outrank you, right?” Rex studied the girl. Quite revealing outfit, in ruby red, with the shoulderless sleeves, and the… well, the only part of her upper body that was covered. He supposed it was a very toned upper body- no teenager should have abs, but… He took note of the utility belt around her waist, the same fingerless coloured gloves she wore. He took note of the gray shorts atop the black leggings. 

He took notice of the golden hair that was piled carelessly atop her head, tied together with a single piece of string. He took note of the newly done Padawan braid, just a braid, with no markings woven in. He took note of the incredibly long eyelashes, the strong, smooth jaw, the sharp, petite nose. The brilliant sparkling blue eyes. 

He assumed that by most- if not all standards, she would be considered very beautiful. But he was a clone, so he wouldn’t know. It was simply his job to notice things like that.

(A/N: THIS IS NOT REX/ANAKA! I REPEAT THIS IS NOT REX/ANAKA! I just wanted to describe how a female Anakin would look. THIS IS NOT REX/ANAKA! They will be very good friends, like Rex and Ahsoka are, just wanted to clear that up.)

He also took note of the things people seemed to consider secondly. The way she held herself, confident, snarky, passionate, courageous, highly intelligent. And her tactical mind seemed very useful to- moving the line back  _ was _ a good idea. T

he way she talked to everyone, how she could make an entire squadron of clones fall under her charm in seconds. She wanted to be helpful- sure, but she also knew what she was doing, and she wasn’t afraid to be what he supposed the Jedi would think of as “unorthodox.” 

So he hated to burst her bubble when he said, “In my book, experience outranks everything.” She didn’t seem put down, however. Instead, she lifted the sparkling blue eyes with a flare of understanding, and said,

“Well, if experience outranks everything, I better start getting some.” Oh yeah, he liked this kid. She and the General would be a good pair, he figured.

“What’s that?” He looked towards where she pointed, past the broken architecture and falling buildings, to see the red dome they had all feared would go up. He frowned.

“Not good. They’ve got an energy shield. It’s gonna make things damn near impossible. If you wanted experience, little one,” She bristled slightly, but didn’t interrupt.

“It looks like you’re about to get plenty.”

***

“The shield generator is somewhere in this area.” Obi-Wan explained, gesturing to the area on the holo projection. Ahsoka folded her arms, and nodded. “They’re slowly increasing the diameter, and keeping it just ahead of their troops.” Rex furrowed his brow.

“Heavy cannons are gonna be useless against that.” Obi-Wan nodded, reaching up a hand to stroke his beard.

“As they get closer, I suppose we could try to draw them into the buildings.” He crouched down to see the hologram easier. “That might level the playing field a bit.” As he spoke, Anaka walked to his other side, to get closer to the projector. 

“If the shield’s gonna be such a problem, why don’t we just take it out?” Rex looked at her grimly.

“Easier said than done.” That’s when she decided to pipe up.

“Well, I a-agree with her.” She coughed slightly during the sentence, wishing she wasn’t such a noticeable presence, and could sink right into the ground. But alas, the Togruta wasn’t so lucky. They looked at her in surprise. She continued, “Someone has to get to that shield generator and destroy it. That’s the key.” A brief look of-  _ Kark it Master, stop looking so smug _ \- passed in Obi-Wan’s eyes, before he said,

“Right, then. Maybe you two can tiptoe through the enemy lines and solve this particular problem together.” Anaka beamed at him.

“Can do, Master Kenobi.” Ahsoka glared into the back of her head, and said,

“I’ll decide what we do.” Obi-Wan shot her a  _ look _ , before saying,

“If Rex and I can engage them here, you two might have a chance to get through their lines undetected, here.” He pointed to different spots on the projection as he spoke. Rex uncrossed his arms from where they were previously folded against his chest.

“They won’t have much time. The droids far outnumber us, so our ability to street fight is limited without the use of heavy cannons. They will march forward under the protection of their shield until they are right on top of our cannons, and then they’ll blow them away.” Anaka shrugged.

“We’ll figure out a way. C’mon Master, let’s go.” She turned around, Padawan braid swinging as she walked. Obi-Wan shot Ahsoka a glance, which she promptly ignored, and followed after her definitely-not-apprentice, saying,

“If we survive this,  _ Skygirl _ , you and I are gonna have a talk.” (A/N: I thought and thought about Anaka’s nickname, and I could’ve done Skygal or Skyguy, but I think Skygirl just sounded more right. ‘Cause she came in the ship from the sky, and she’s an awesome pilot (not that Ahsok’a knows this yet) and her last name. If you guys want me to change it, or have some other idea, let me know!) 

*** 

As they walked away, Rex turned to Obi-Wan, and said,

“They make quite a pair, don’t they, sir? You think they have a chance?” Obi-Wan turned to look at him as the holoimage gently flickered in front of them.

“They better. If they can’t turn off that shield generator before it reaches the heavy cannons, there’ll be no escape for any of us.”

***

The shield slowly spread in front of them as her new Master stared ahead with some sort of binoculars. She was perched on a piece of fallen metal, a rucksack strapped to her back.

“So, what’s the plan?” She jumped down, as her Master scoffed.

“Oh, I thought you were the one with the plan.” Anaka scowled internally. She didn’t have to be so rude, neither of them particularly wanted this arrangement. Still, she fought back,

“No, I’m the one with enthusiasm.”  _ Which is strange, because normally, on a day to day basis, I act more like her.  _ “You’re the one with the experience which I’m looking forward to learning from.”  _ Not. _

But then they shared a smile. And no- her heart was not melting at the first sign of friendship. No way.

“Well, first, we need to get behind that shield, then get past their tank lines.” Okay, that was a solid plan, but she had a better one.

“Why don’t we go around them? Outflank ‘em?” She could practically see the waves of,  _ I don’t want this- she was supposed to be for Obi-Wan _ rolling off her.

“That’d take too long.” Anaka put on her best smile.

“Why don’t we sneak through the middle?” And when he said,

“Impossible. Unless you can turn yourself into a droid?” She sighed. 

“Alright, you win. I guess my first lesson will be to wait while you come up with the answer.”  _ Which is not who this apprenticeship will be, I assure you. _

“Well, that’s wait’s over then, isn’t it? I’ve got a plan. Didn’t you say you were good with mechanics?” 

***

Ahsoka and her apprentice crouched down underneath the old- something. It was big enough to cover both of them, and that’s what mattered. Even if the tips of her montrals scratched the top uncomfortably. She slowly lifted it up, quickly assessed the situation, and pulled it back down. Everything was going according to plan. Now only if her not-apprentice would stop fidgeting, that’d be great.

The red energy quickly encompassed them, and their metal shield, and they were in. The droids marched around them, and the box skitted a bit when one walked into it. Anaka glared at him.

“This is a stupid plan! We should fight them, instead of just sneaking around!” Ahsoka sighed. 

“Except for the fact that their energy shield just passed over us.” She heard Anaka mutter,

“Deflective energy shield.” Under her breath. Fine. If she wanted to go into specifics, fine. She could be that way.

“If you can’t cross their lines, let their lines cross you.”  _ Hey, that was pretty good!  _ Ahsoka thought. Cleary, Anaka wasn’t as impressed. Instead, cleary being put out at being wrong, she mumbled,

”If you say so.” 

They continued to crawl forward. 

***

“I think we passed them all, Master. We may pull this off.” No, Ahsoka decided. We don’t get to be positive.

“We still have a while to go before we get to the generator station.” Ahsoka bit back a curse as her montral scraped the top of the box again. Anaka, noticing her discomfort, asked,

“Do we still need this thing?”  _ Wait- she asked that, for me? But I didn’t like it? We could blow our cover and every- no. She’s probably just asking because she’s another war-crazed initiate who doesn't understand the true horrors of this time. _ That didn’t stop Ahsoka from feeling a dangerously warm emotion in her chest. 

“I can’t take it anymore, I have to stand up.” Ahsoka proclaimed as they lifted the piece of metal above their heads. She rubbed the tips of her montrals with one hand. Yeah, they’d definitely need some bacta when they got back.

Anaka shot her a worried glance, but didn’t say anything, biting her bottom lip instead. They held their “protection” above their heads, Ahsoka being sure to crouched so that Anaka could reach, and her montrals didn’t start the rub against the top again. 

“We have to be careful. You never know who we might run into.” That’s when they banged into the energy shield that surrounded the battle droid, sending Ahsoka on top of Anaka, quickly using the force to cast the metal aside, making sure to not hit Anaka. Only because they couldn’t spare any bacta, of course. 

“See what I mean?” She exclaimed. The battle droid started firing at them, and they crawled backwards desperately, one of Ahsoka’s twin green blades deflecting blaster bolts, while Anakin did the same with her blue one.  _ See, also blue. Another reason she should be Obi-Wan’s apprentice, and not mine. _

Anaka did an extremely unnecessary backwards somersault into a standing up position, while Ahsoka just used her upper body strength.  _ Great, she’s showy _ . It didn’t mean it wasn’t impressive, however. 

They continued to deflect the red bolts, Ahsoka’s other blade springing to life, while Anaka deflected the bolts using a varied form of Djem So. Ahsoka hadn’t seen that form before- did Anaka invent it herself. She had to admit, the blonde was extremely skilled at the form of lightsaber combat- incredible, in fact. She became one with her blade, almost losing herself entirely in the battle. It was unlike anything Ahsoka had ever witnessed before.

And her force signature- if Ahsoka hadn’t noticed it before, she definitely noticed it now. It was impossible not to notice- blinding, a supernova against a world of street lights. It pulsed and pushed and waved and flourished in a way Ahsoka had never before experienced, and it was incredible. Around her, the force  _ sang _ . It was beautiful.

“We can’t beat it’s shield.” Anaka exclaimed.

“Run!” Ahsoka commanded, focusing solely on her Jar’Kai skills to deflect red bolts firing at them.

“What!? Jedi don’t run!”  _ Jedi also don’t talk back to their elders, but look at you. _

“I said, run!” Anaka turned around, holding her lightsaber diagonally across her back to deflect bolts. Ahsoka waved aside a few more, before following her. The droids contracted on itself, and started rolling towards them.

“Anaka, stop!” Anaka cursed as she stumbled slightly.

“Make up your mind!” She growled.  _ Why won’t just listen to me? _

“I said,  _ stop _ !” So Anaka stopped, just in time to turn around, and slice the droid in half with a flash of blue. The pieces went flying at Ahsoka, who cut each half with its own blade into quarters. She looked at her.

“Good, you take direction well.”  _ I’m mean, you were defiant, but you did as you were told. _

Anaka glared at the ground, but followed Ahsoka nonetheless, as they made their way to the generator.

***

They claimed up fallen rubble to make their way to the generator, which was buzzing as it sent up a beam of energy that formed the red shield that pulsed around them. Anaka pointed to it.

“There it is, come on.” 

***

They ran as they got closer to the generator, Anaka’s tan skin and Ahsoka’s orange one becoming red in the light. 

“Stay close,” Ahsoka told her. “We’ve got to be careful.” Anaka gave a cocky two fingered salute, then ducked under the broke metal exoframe they were leaning against, yelling,

“Come on!”  _ Cheeky little- _

“Wait!” She said, noticing something she really didn’t want to on the ground.

“Why? Master, it’s right there! We can-” That’s when the sensor started beeping. 

“I said, wait!”  _ Maybe she doesn’t take direction so well. _

Unfortunately, Anaka lost her balance, and that’s when the mines started blowing up and droids broke through the surface.  _ That’s why I said wait _ . Ahsoka thought despairingly. Today already wasn’t a good day!

“Forget about the droids! Set those charges.”  _ You said you were good with mechanics. Time to prove it.  _ Ahsoka yelled as she plowed forward, green blades slicing through droids effortlessly as a knife through hot bantha butter. Anaka scrambled up to the generator, and began to input the charges.

That, of course, was when the droid started firing at her so of course she had to abandon what she was doing to defend herself. With extravagant twists and slides and jumps that probably weren’t necessary, but got the job done, she cut the droid done into unsalvageable scrap metal. 

Sadly, said scrap metal seemed to attract all the other droids attention, and then they all watched as said scrap metal landed at Ahsoka’s feet. As they started firing, Ahsoka yelled,

“Who’s side are you on, anyway?!”

“Sorry!” Anaka at least had the decency to look sheepish. “Setting the charges now!” She called, climbing back up to the generator. She reached into her rucksack, and started pulling out the little bombs they had to place to blow it up. The bombs had to be in the right place, though, or they wouldn't do enough damage. That’s where Anaka’s mechanical knowledge would come in handy, Ahsoka figured.

***

“A little help here, Skygirl?” Her master called, while she used her Jar’Kai blades to deflect the incoming blaster bolts. That’s when Anaka saw it. Oh, it was so perfect, she almost laughed.

“Snips, don’t move!” She reached out her hand, and with the power only some Jedi Master’s could ever hope to achieve, brought the three-ton stone wall down on her master. Thankfully, she planned it out, so that he was able to not get crushed by the hole that had been formed by the droids. 

She saw her Master look around in shock. She jumped off the platform where the generator was raised, and ran over to her.

“You could’ve gotten me killed!” She scowled. She had just saved her life, and that was all she got?

“I know that I’m doing!” She growled as she walked closer.

“I had everything under control!”  _ Oh, you did now? _

“I just saved your life!” Yeah, she just saved the famed General Tano’s life, shouldn’t that at least get her a thank you? 

***

“Did you get the charges set?” Oh, Ahsoka was  _ done _ . Who was this girl, thinking she could just waltz in, thinking she was better than everybody, and then nearly  _ killing  _ her?

“Yes.” Anaka ground out through gritted teeth. Ahsoka rubbed her temples.

“Then, what are you waiting for?” She glared at him, and with a deliberately forceful movement, hit the button on her right glave, and the generator exploded, and the energy shield came flickering down. 

***

The cannons started firing, the droids started dropping faster, and the Republic troops advanced, and reinforcements flew in from overhead.

***

Ahsoka watched all this with a satisfied smile on her face, before turning to look at Anaka, who was sitting down on the ledge of the platform where the generator was, staring dejectively at the ground.

She sat down next to the girl.

“You’re reckless, little one. You would’ve never made it as Obi-Wan’s Padawan.” That wasn’t technically true. She had a feeling that Anaka and Obi-Wan would get along great, in fact. And she was certainly reckless, so there was that. But she had a feeling that this youngling- no,  _ her Padawan _ , would be even more reckless than her.

“But you might make it as mine.” And that smile, that smile that split across Anaka’s face, one filled with so much joy, and excitement, and gratitude, made the entire not-so-horrible day worth it. 

“C’mon,” She said, standing up. Anaka slung the rucksack over her shoulders, and followed her. 

They walked a few yards away, where a transport shuttle set down to pick them up. Rex held on to one of the handles attached from the ceiling, as she and Anaka did the same. The shuttle took off as Rex congratulated them.

“Great job, General Tano.” He looked at Anaka. “You too, kid.” Ahsoka nodded gratefully at him.

They flew over to where Obi-Wan and Master Yoda sat. Ahsoka looked at the Captain. “Thanks for the ride, Rex.”

“Anytime, sir.” They walked over to where Obi-Wan and Yoda stood.

“Master Obi-Wan, Master Yoda.” They both nodded respectfully at the master.

“Hmm, trouble, you have, with your new Padawan, I hear.” Anaka glanced at the ground, so Ahsoka shot her a reassuring grin, and she perked up. Obi-Wan addressed her.

“I was explaining the situation to Master Yoda.” 

“Really?” Master Yoda nodded.

“If not ready for a Padawan, you are, then perhaps, Obi-Wan, we can-” Anaka’s face fell.

“No, no- wait a minute, Master Yoda. I’ll admit Anaka is a little, um, ruff around the edges.” Anaka stared at the ground.

“But with a great deal of training, and patience, she might amount to something.” Anaka’s face split into another smile. 

“Then go with you, she will, to the Teth System.” Ahsoka raised her facial markings.

“Teth? That’s wild space. The droid army isn’t even in that sector.” Master Yoda’s expression turned forlorn.

“Kidnapped, Jabba the Hutt’s son has been.” Anaka stiffened at the mention of Jabba, which Ahsoka took curiously, but decided not to pry. For now.

“You want me to rescue Jabba’s son?” It was not Ahsoka who spoke, but Anaka. And she was speaking directly to Master Yoda. 

Master Yoda gave her a look Ahsoka couldn’t clearly decipher. But Anaka cleary could, so she muttered,

“Apologies, Master Yoda.” And stepped back. Puzzled at the interaction, Obi-Wan spoke to Ahsoka,

“Ahsoka, this is of the utmost importance. We’ll need the Hutts’ allegiance to give us an advantage over Dooku.” Anaka and Ahsoka nodded respectfully.

“Negotiate the treaty with Jabba, Obi-Wan will. Find the renegades that hold Jabba’s son, your mission will be, Tano.” Noticing Anaka’s expression, she nudged her playfully.

“C’mon Skygirl, it doesn’t sound that hard.” Anaka nodded, eye’s firmly planted on her boots.

“Why don’t you find Rex and get the troopers ready?” She nodded, not meeting anyones eyes, and ran off to do as she was told. Ahsoka looked worryingly at Obi-Wan.

“Don’t worry, Ahsoka. Just teach her everything I taught you, and she’ll be fine.” Ahsoka laughed, before turning to look at Obi-Wan.

“You know, Master, something makes me think this was your idea from the start.” Obi-Wan gave him an innocent expression of “who, me?” Ahsoka glared at him playfully.

_ Oh, that little kriffin’ son of a- _

No matter, she had a Padawan to follow.

But Obi-Wan would  _ never  _ hear the end of it later.

***

Let’s just hope Ahsoka is ready for this responsibility.” Master Yoda nodded at Obi-Wan.

“Ready, she is, to teach an apprentice.” 

“But the chosen one?” Master Yoda shook his head.

“To let go of her pupil, a greater challenge, it will be. Master this, Tano must. And young Skywalker, as well.”

They watched the shuttle fly off, the two most distinct silhouettes being a grown Togruta, and a human female, both smiling, internally, externally, and in the force.


	2. Age and Experience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, did ya all miss me? Thank you so, so much for the amount of support on this fanfic, it was so much more that what I expected. And to Em who commented, thank you so, so much! That comment really made my day. 
> 
> So for posting schedule, I would say expect about one 5k chapter a week. If that changes, I’ll be sure to mention it.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy chapter 2!!

The Republic cruiser made its way out of hyperspace, as the small starship landed in the hangar. Ahsoka walked forward, with Anaka’s little blue and silver astromech on her heels.

_ She had discovered him when they made their way back to the cruiser. “R2!” Anaka had exclaimed, and rushed him off to a corner in the hanger, where the tools sat. She mumbled on and on about some sort of “his processors fried, I need to replace the L87-3 sensor to get it working- who last operated on you?! Wait- don’t answer that.” She was also fluent in binary, Ahsoka learned.  _

_ “You brought your Astromech with you?” Ahsoka asked her new Padawan. Anaka gave her a “well, duh,” look. _

_ “He’s super intelligent? Aren’t you, R2?” She cooed at the droid. “Plus, he’s equipped with a lot more than just your average Astromech.” After the taser incident, Ahsoka was inclined to agree with her. _

“Lieutenant, did any of the kidnappers see you?” The man she was speaking to replied,

“No, sir. We’re the best scouts in the regiment.”  _ And the most humble, I see.  _

“What about the bounty hunters? Are they still down there?” The man looked at his companion for confirmation.

“I don’t think so. We haven’t seen them in a while.” She crossed her arms.  _ Can you tell me something useful? _

“Well, what are we up against?” One of the men brought out a portable holoprojector, and showed the image of the fortress they were supposed to be getting Jabba’s son from.

“Looks like at least two droid battalions protecting a monastery. It’s heavily fortified, sir, you won’t be able to land there.” She nodded at them.

“Good work, soldiers. Get some rest.” She turned around, R2 following her. She turned to where Anaka was standing in front of a group of troopers, telling them the story of their recent battle.

“That sounds like a lot, even for a Jedi. I hear you were surrounded by droids. How did you ever get the shield down?” Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at Anaka’s (correct, not that she would ever admit it) telling of the story.

“Okay, so there’s a wall behind her with a whole in the middle, so I just-” she made a motion with her hands to show that she used the force, “On top of the droids, destroying them, and saving the renowned General.” She crossed her arms at the end, looking smug. The clones all laughed, some disbelieving, some looking impressed. Rex asked her,

“Is that true, sir?” Ahsoka scowled.

“...Most of it.” R2 and a fellow astromech chuckled in binary. “Alright, men, we still have a job to do.” 

“Yessir.” Rex agreed. “You heard the General, move it!” 

“All right, back to business.” One of the clones encouraged. She walked towards Anaka, slight smile on her lips.

“Would this be a good time to teach you that a Jedi is humble, my young Padawan?” She grinned at her.

“Sorry, just trying to keep the boys inspired, is all.” Ahsoka stopped walking, and pulled a blue bead.

“Wait- I have something for you.” Anaka turned to look at her, then her eyes widened in surprise.

“You did save a life- even if that person would  _ have been just fine on your own _ , so, umm…” She stumbled awkwardly, unsure how to continue. Gratefully, Anaka helped with that.

“Thank you, Master.” She turned her hopeful blue eyes towards the Togruta. 

“Will you help me redo the braid?” Ahsoka gave her a grin.

“I’d be honoured.” 

***

They stood in one of the transportation shuttles as the holo projection of Obi-Wan spoke to them. 

“Alright Ahsoka, here’s the story. Jabba has given us only one planetary rotation to get his son back home to Tatooine safe and sound.” Ahsoka could feel Anaka stiffen against her at the mention of Tatooine, but said nothing. She instead turned to Obi-Wan, grinning underneath her hood.

“It won’t take us that long, Master.” She could practically see the way Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. 

“Well, take extreme care. We have no idea who’s holding Jabba’s son. When I’ve finished negotiations with him, I will join you.” Ahsoka grinned at him.

“Will do, Master.”

***

Anaka looked up at her Master under her hood. She could see the raised part of where the two montrals were underneath her hood. 

“Stay close to me, if you can.” Anaka nodded, smirking slightly. 

“Will do, Master.” Then, with a sudden surge of confidence, “If you can keep up, that is.” She could see Ahsoka’s expression harder, her facial markings furrowing, like if she had eyebrows.

“This isn’t a game, Anaka.” She rolled her eyes.

“I know! I’ll try not to get you killed, I promise.” She probably deserved the tug she got on her Padawan braid, but at her Master’s smirk, she found it hard to care.

That’s when the blaster droid started shooting at them, of course.

“Sir, we’re taking heavy fire!” Ahsoka yelled over the sounds of explosions and rumbling,

“Lieutenant, close those blast shields! I want us under those guns!” The trooper nodded. Anaka couldn’t help but feel impressed. The way all those clones respected her Master, the confidence she carried herself with… maybe there was a truth behind the “awesomeness” of General Tano. Maybe.

“Yes, sir!” Anaka shut her eyes briefly to get adjusted to the light as the side panels slid closed. 

“Here we go.” Anaka grabbed onto one of the bars hanging from the ceiling to steady herself. She heard a clone say,

“Ridge, your com’s gone static.” Then another say,

“Got it.” And another order of,

“Red light, stand by.” The shuttle was bathed in red. She took in the hardened expression on her Master’s face, but could feel her stoic calmness through the force. This was real. They were going into battle. She was now a Padawan. They were on a mission. She wasn’t just a messenger. She took a steadying breath through the force. 

***

“Greenlight!” The lights turned green inside the shuttle, and the doors slid open, illuminating Anaka’s face. She narrowed her eyes. When the doors fully opened, she threw off her cloke, hearing the “Go, go, go!” One of the troopers was yelling. 

She ignited her saber, and ran outside into the blaster fire. She studied her terrign, taking note of the purplish ground, purple sky- purple everything, really. She could hear clones yelling around her, small explosions when the blaster shots missed, and hit something else instead. 

She twisted her lightsaber into the reverse grip she saw her Master had done during the battle of Christosphis, and pulled a face.  _ Nope, not working _ . She twisted her hand back into her varied style of Form Five, which she did invent, thank you very much.

She fixed her gaze on the cliff in front of them, where the droids happened to be firing in the sector where she and the other troopers were. Joy. 

“Follow me!” Ahsoka called. Anaka fell into step behind her. They found shelter standing directly against the button of the cliff, where the droids couldn’t see or shoot at them due to the jutting edges and irregularities in the rock formation. 

A droid fell directly in front of them. She turned to Ahsoka, and said,

“This is where the fun begins.” (A/N: Picture her smiling like Anakin did in RoTS when he said this line.) Ahsoka grinned back.

“Race you to the top.” Feeling cocky, she replied,

“I’ll give you a head start.” Apparently deciding to teach her Padawan a lesson, she said,

“Your mistake. Ascension cables!” With an impressive force jump, she leaped onto one of the cables the clones had shot up, and began to climb. With a shake of her head, she called,

“I’m right behind you, Master!” And began to scale the cliff. She was a short distance from the ground, when she noticed a walker droid walking up the side of the cliff. A sly grin came over her face.

She pushed off the mountain using the force, and swung her ascension cable, propelling herself towards her new transportation. She landed on the back, boot scrambling slightly before she found purchase. 

The Sepratist droids were unrelenting, their red bolts a storm of light and explosions. The blue bolts weren’t doing nothing, however, and when one hit the top, and sent a miniature explosion towards the Separatists, Anaka could faintly hear the commanding droid say, “Target those walkers.”  _ Kriff _ . She just happened to be on one of those walkers. 

It was particularly concerning when a wave of red aimed at her walker, but they either hit one of the shielded legs, or rained down on the walker behind her, that went tumbling down the rocks in a fiery explosion. She grit her teeth.  _ Not good. Kark, really not good. _

They continued the trek to the top. A droid almost hit her master, but she had used one hand to slice it in half with a saber, so Anaka wasn’t as worried. However, when a droid hit her walker, and she could do nothing but clutch tighter- she was starting to understand this war. 

A blaster shot rang out clearer in her ears than the rest of them, and hit the clone that was riding on the same walker as her. His pained scream tore at her heart. Her eyes widened, then closed for a fraction of a second.  _ I’ll respect his passing in the force- there is no emotion, there is peace-  _ She opened her eyes. Kriff the code. 

She ignited her blue blade in one hand, and leaped forward. She landed crouched on the windshield at the head of the walker, nothing but the friction of her boots and the force to stop her from falling. 

She stood up to her whole height (which was impressive for her species, considering age and sex, might she add.) She slashed her lightsaber back and forth, the red shots the separatists fired ricocheting off into the purple sky. 

Clones on flying speeder bikes flew towards them, firing mercilessly. She deflected them the best she could, until one of the bolts hit the bottom of one of the walker droids legs. The front two legs lost their grip on the mountain, and the momentum was too much for her transportation. She gave a desperate yell, falling backwards, managing to grab one arm onto the walker, where she dangled precariously. She saw her Master run towards her, but there wasn’t enough time. 

With a desperate force push, she rammed the walker forwards, until it gained purchase on the mountain again. She pulled herself to the top, where the Seppie droids were still firing at them. Her Master had to stop to help another trooper.  _ Okay, all on my own then. Just me, and then force.  _

She leaped from speeder to speeder, slicing droids in half with ease. On the last one, instead of letting the speeder crash to the planet's surface like she did the other, she jumped on this one, and began to race to the top. She reveled in the stunned, and slightly proud look in her Togruta mentors eyes.

“Hey, no fair!” Ahsoka yelled. 

“Gotta keep up!” She screamed back, a pleased grin coming over her face. (A/N: I’ll be switching some stuff like this around a bit, to try to make the characters not too OC. Like, Ahsoka will still say Anakin's lines, but she’ll be more understanding, and less reckless. Only slightly. Anaka will be the opposite. They have pretty similar personalities, so it’s not too hard to write (Lucky me!)

She used the firing mechanism on the machine she was riding to hit the droids crawling down the cliff. She raised her comlink to her mouth.

“Uh, Captain Rex?” She asked, not sure if she was allowed to do this.

“Not a good time, sir!” She heard the clone say back, voice muffled over the blaster fire.

“Remember when I said I outrank you? Well, I’m gonna use that now- follow me!” Yep, her Master was gonna kill her. If she didn’t pull this off. But she was gonna. Hopefully. 

“Yes, sir! Working on it.” Well. At least Rex was on her side.

She was so close to the top of the cliff, when the droid shot her transportation out from underneath her. Luckily, she made it to the top. Now she just had to defend herself against the droids. Well, she won the last time, so, it couldn’t be too hard.  _ Wow Skywalker, way to give yourself confidence.  _

They surrounded her. “Surrender, Jedi.” She heard the tinny voice they used for the droids.  _ Honestly, it’s like they're trying to annoy us into losing. _

She was sure her Master was proud of the way that two seconds later, all of the droids surrounding her Padawan fell down the mountain in pieces. With a final flourish of her lightsaber, she slashed the last droid in her, pleased with the small explosion and the sparks that flew into the air. That was when the three Droidekas-  _ didn’t the clones call them rollies? _ \- rolled out of the entrance to the Monastery. 

“Blast it,” she muttered. “And Master told me to stay close to her.” If this wasn’t karma, she didn’t know what was. That was when the blue shot rang out behind her, sufficiently destroying the first rollie. She turned around to see Ahsoka jump off of the walker she had abandoned. 

“I can’t get much closer, Skygirl.” An easy grin fell over her face.

“I knew you’d get here, Snips.  _ Eventually _ .” She added under her breath. With Togrutan hearing, though, she was sure her Master heard her. 

“Just in time to save your life. I guess we’re even now, huh?” Rex walked up to Ahsoka’s side.

“All clear, General.” Her master nodded.

“Nice work, Rex.” She then turned to look at Ahsoka.

“We’ll talk about the order you gave Rex, later.” Anaka gulped. Ahsoka turned back to Rex.

“Have some men look after the wounded.”

“Roger that, sir. Gunships are holding at a safe distance.” Anaka looked at Ahsoka.

“Master, there’s too many droids for them to be renegades.” Ahsoka nodded at Anaka.

“You’re right. I sense Count Dooku’s hand in this. Let’s find Jabba’s son and get outta here.” 

“No problem, the hard part’s over.” Anaka felt her Masters gaze on her turn foreboding.

“I wish you wouldn’t say that.” 

***

The entrance to the monastery opened with a loud screech. Ahsoka walked inside, face contemplating. Anaka had pulled her mouth into a hard line.  _ Why does she despise Jabba so much? Sure, he’s a disgusting slimeball, but could he have done to her? _

The clones behind them turned on their headlights to let them see in the dark tunnel. 

“I don't like this place. It gives me the creeps.” Rex grumbled. Anaka piped up next to her.

“This… looks like one of those B’omarr monk monasteries that I read about in my studies at the temple.” Ahsoka raised a facial marking.  _ She studied?  _ Sure, she looked smart, and she’d be damned if the blonde didn’t have a good tactical mind, but studying? Really? She never expected to end up with a studious Padawan.

“It was only ‘cause my Creche Master forced me to study, though.” Ahsoka let out a breath. Thank the force. What if she’d had to help with homework, or something? 

“Smugglers take these monasteries over. Kind of- turn them into their own personal retreats.” She fumbled for words slightly, trying to put exactly what the smugglers did up to her Padawan’s imagination. She certainly wouldn’t be the one to tell her. Thankfully, Anaka didn’t catch on. Or just didn’t comment. Either one worked.

“And the monks just, let them?” 

“Smugglers usually get what they want. One way or another.”  _ Damn it, Ahsoka! Stop being foreboding!  _

There was a metallic clanging noise in the background, and with a  _ snap-hiss _ , three lightsabers ignited. The clones raised their blasters in warning. Out from the dark end of the tunnel stepped a protocol droid. Ahsoka saw the panicked glace Anaka sent her, and heard her ask the question,

“Good guy or bad guy, Master?” Ahsoka motioned with one of her blades menacingly.

“Who are you?” The droid walked stiffly forward.

“Merely the humble caretaker, O’ mighty sir. You have liberated me from those dreadful battle bots. I am most thankful.” Anaka deactivated her lightsaber, and stepped forward. Ahsoka shot her apprentice a warning glance, but Anaka didn’t see. Or just didn’t listen. Ahsoka was betting her money on the latter. 

“Where is the hut?” She demanded. Ahsoka relaxed slightly. At least she wasn’t going to do something stupid. The droid tilted its head slightly, processing the question for a moment.

“The battle bots kept their prisoners on the detention level.” Ahsoka winced slightly. The tinny, scratchy voice didn’t sound good with her heightened hearing senses.  _ Great, more bacta. _

The droid continued, “I must warn you it is very dangerous down there, my friend. Not a place for a servant girl.” Anaka growled, the force swirling dark around her. 

“Do servant girls carry these?” She ignited her blade in the droid's face. “You’re mistaken,  _ droid _ .” She said scavingly, sneering the word as an insult. “I am a Jedi Knight.” Ahsoka glared at her apprentice, and crossed her arms disapprovingly.  _ Not now, Padawan.  _ Anaka scowled in her master’s direction. “Or soon will be, anyway.” Thankfully, the droid tried to smooth over its mistake.

“A thousand apologies, young one.” Anaka glared at the droid, then brushed past it, making sure to knock into it along the way, making it stumble back. Ahsoka stared at her back.  _ Now was not the time, _ she reminded herself. She turned back to the Captain.

“Rex, we’ll get the hutt. You and these boys stay here and keep your eyes open.” Rex nodded an affirmative.

“Copy that, sir.”

***

They walked along a hallway on the detention level. Anaka frowned at her Master.

“Master, you do know you’re walking us into a trap, right?” Ahsoka continued walking ahead.

“I know.” 

“We just passed two more droids!”

“I know.”  _ What was her angle here? If she’s trying to punish me for reacting to being called a servant- I won’t! I’m not a slave!  _ The light filtered through the oddly shaped windows, casting strange shapes on her face and her Master’s Montrals and lekku. She sighed, exasperatedly.

“Well, I don’t like this. Can’t I just take care of them?” Ahsoka finally gave in, saying,

“Oh, well, if you feel so strongly about them, go ahead.” She turned around to the soft, rhythmic drumming of the droids behind them. 

“Ahh!” With an inaudible battle cry, she launched herself at the, blue blade swinging back and forth, deflecting bolts, slicing through the copper metal. Anaka turned around to watch her Master memorizing her movement.  _ Oh. It was a test. _

“Not bad,” she conceded. “You remembered to destroy their weapons first.” Anaka smirked.

“I’m improving your technique.” Ahsoka gave her a smirk. Then, with a lightning fast movement, she stabbed the droid that had been standing behind her, and it went down with a flash of sparks.

“You did miss one, of course.” Anaka scowled.  _ Hmph. If that’s the way you want to play it, fine. Fine, Miss I’m-such-a-good-lightsaber-wielder, fine. You win this round.  _ Still, since she’d never admit defeat that easily, she fluently replied,

“I did that on purpose.” Anaka knew Ahsoka saw through her. Ahsoka stared at one of the closed cell doors. 

“I sense our kidnapped Hutt is in here.” Anaka sniffed, and recoiled in disgust.

“Oh yeah, I smell him too.” Anaka felt bad for her Master, what with her heightened senses and all. That sleemo _stank,_ though. With a force push, Ahsoka opened the door, into the dirty cell.

The only light was what had streamed in through the open door, and the small window. In the middle of the room was a  _ thing.  _ Anaka wasn’t sure how else to describe it. It lay on the floor, whining and wailing. It had two orange eyes, and was basically a head, with the rest of its body funneling into a cone shape (Anaka assumed that was the tail.) It had two stick-like arms, and was a revolting mud brown colour. Anaka stared with an open jaw.

“Master, he’s  _ a lot _ younger than I’d thought he’d be.” Ahsoka leaned forward, delight in her eyes, and she cooed softly,

“Oh, he’s just a baby. This’ll make our job so much easier. Oh, he’s so cute.” Anaka got a hard look in her eyes. She mumbled under her breath,

“Just wait until you see what he’ll grow into.” 

***

_ “General Tano, the castle is secure, and it’s nearly midday.” _ Ahsoka spoke into her comlink, other hand gently petting the hutt. 

“Thanks, Rex. We’ve got Jabba’s son. Is there any sign of General Kenobi?”

_ “No sir.”  _

The comlink shut off with a beep. Ahsoka looked to where her apprentice was standing moodily against the wall. 

“So, Padawan, what should our next move be?” Anaka startled off the wall, staring at her.

“My Jedi training didn’t prepare me for this, Master.” Ahsoka nodded. 

“Well, we can start by getting this little guy outta here.  _ Isn’t that right, cutie? _ ” 

“How’re we gonna get that smelly larva out of here?” Ahsoka grinned at her, mirth in her eyes.

“You’re gonna carry it.” Ahsoka could feel Anaka’s glare at her while she walked out the door. The Togruta had to use her hand to muffle her laughter. Having a Padawan was  _ great _ .

***

The Hutt whined for the fifth time as they walked towards the entrance.

“How do you like him now, Master, still cute?” Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

“You know,” the human continued, “He’s reminding me more and more of you.” Anaka lifted the tiny body in her hands up in disgust. “See? You’re two of a kind.” Ahsoka took it all in stride, replying,

“Maybe you should carry both of us, then.” Ahsoka kept walking, but Anaka’s voice held her back.

The teenager had turned the Hutt around in her hands, and her blue eyes had a sympathetic look to them.

“Master, I think the Hutt is sick. He’s burning up and everything.” Anaka walked forward to her, and Ahsoka placed a hand on the round head. _ Kark. _

“You’re right. Trooper!” She called to one of the clones, “Get me a backpack.” They walked forward into the sunlight. Anaka attempted to put the Hutt in the bag, rather roughly in Ahsoka’s opinion, and the Hutt started screaming. Ahsoka sighed.

“Will you just let me do it?” Ahsoke caught Anaka grumbling under her breath,  _ again, _

“I hate Hutts.”

***

R2-D2 projected the holoimage of Obi-Wan in front of Anaka and Ahsoka. Ahsoka had taken to holding the Hutt, since he reacted much better in Ahsoka’s care instead of Anaka’s. 

_ “Ahsoka, I see you’ve located Jabba’s son.” _ Ahsoka nodded, and re-adjusted her grip on the backpack that she wore strapped against her chest, that the Hutt was in.

“Yeah, we’ve got ‘im, but it looks like the Separatists are behind his abduction. This smells like Count Dooku to me.” Anaka piped up from where she stood, somewhat slouched, arms across her chest.

“I think it’s Stinky you smell.” Ahsoka glared at her, and turned her attention back to Obi-Wan.

_ “I’ll bet Dooku is using us to get Jabba to join the Separatists.” _ Ahsoka nodded.

“Master, we have another problem. I think the Huttlet is sick. I’m not sure we can get him back to Tatooine alive.” Anaka blanched.

“ _ Tatooine?!  _ I thought we were just recusing him, not going all the way there!” Ahsoka silenced her with a look.

“It looks like this recuse may backfire on us, Master.” Anaka agreed vigorously.

“I told you dealing with the Hutts was a bad idea!” Obi-Wan turned his gaze to the Padawan.

_ “That may be true Anaka, but they do control shipping routes in the Outer Rim. Jabba’s cooperation is crucial to the war effort.” _ Obi-Wan turned back to Ahsoka.  _ “If you let anything happen to his son, our chances of a treaty with him will disappear.”  _ That’s when they heard the ships entering the atmosphere.

“Master? We’ve got a problem.” They turned their attention to the sky, where the enemy starships were flying towards them. Ahsoka heard Rex bark,

“Defensive positions!” 

_ “Ahsoka?”  _ Obi-Wan inquired. 

“We’ll have to call you back, Master! We’re under attack. We could really use some help here!” 

_ “I’ll get there as soon as I can. Protect the Hutt!”  _ The holotrasmittion cut off. The battleships started firing at them. Anaka leaped in front of her mentor, and started using her blue blade to deflect the blaster bolts. 

“Take it down, take it down!” The troopers were yelling, firing back at the gunships. Ahsoka stood while Anaka danced around her, helpless, since her movements were confined by the Hutt. She heard one of the troopers yell, “We’ve got spiders inbound.” Ahsoka saw the astromech leap out of the starfighter right before it was destroyed. 

Lines of Separatist droids marched towards them. Ahsoka shrugged at the bag, and thrust it at Anaka. The Padawan slung it over her shoulders. 

“Get inside!” She ordered, twin blades springing to life. 

***

Anaka raced behind their own lines, blonde hair falling out of her bun and tumbling down her back, reaching halfway down her chest. “Artoo!” She called. The little blue and white Astromech followed her. In the distance, she could hear her Master say, 

“Fall back!” As the spiders advanced forward. She raced inside the door, hearing the repeated order of, “Fall back, fall back!” She saw Ahsoka slide under the door just as it slid closed. The Separatist fire pounded against the door, but it held strong. 

“Captain,” Ahsoka addressed Rex, “We’ll stay here until General Kenobi arrives with reinforcements.” Anaka saw Ahsoka turn to her, so she knew she could see the unimpressed look the blonde was giving her. “What?”

“Master, do you honestly think we can hold them off? We’ve got to find a way out of here!” Anaka could feel Ahsoka’s disappointed gaze bear into her.

“Our job is to protect the Hutt, and that’s what we’re going to do, Anaka.” Well, fine. But she wasn’t going down without a fight. Pushing the bile that rose in the back of her throat as she spoke her next words, she said,

“Our mandate was to get this Hutt back to Tatooine, and time is running out.” Ahsoka shifted her stance.

“I suppose you have a plan, then?” R2 beeped something Anaka knew Ahsoka would barely understand, as her Master, she learned, only knew very basic binary. (A/N: i know i know canon wise, ahsoka knows binary, but this is already really far from canon, so if i can use rule 63 and completely change the timeline, i can make ahsoka not know binary.)

“Yes,” She shot back. “Or I think so, R2 willing.” Ahsoka nodded at her.

“All right Skygirl, I’ll trust you on this one.” The General turned back to Rex. “Captain, hold them here as long as you can.” Rex nodded an affirmative.

“Will do, sir. You heard the General!” As Anaka and Ahsoka walked away, she could hear Rex finish, “Get ready to turn those clankers into scrap metal!”

***

As they walked down the empty corridor, R2 raced ahead. 

“If there’s a way out of here, R2 will find it.” Ahsoka looked at Anaka.

“You seem very sure about this.” Anaka nodded, confidence sparkling in her blue eyes.

“I am.” As R2 fiddled with the settings on the control panel, Ahsoka called out,

“Make it quick.” R2 beeped something in binary, which Ahsoka would’ve originally thought of as an affirmative, but given the way Anaka giggled, she assumed R2 said something slightly less appropriate. Only slightly, of course. 

Ahsoka looked at the sleeping Hutt that rested in the backpack against Anaka’s back. Asleep. Anaka, noticing her gaze answered,

“Yeah, he’s asleep.  _ Finally. _ ” Ahsoka looked at her own apprentice, noticing that her hair had fallen down, and the thick, loose curls were caked in dirt, blood, and sweat. She noticed how one of the human’s pant legs was torn, and the fabric only reached her knee. She took note of the dark circles,  _ too dark for someone that young _ , and the pure exhaustion that outweighed her adrenaline in the force. 

“Put him down. You should get some rest yourself. It’s been a long day for you, little one.” She could feel Anaka’s outrage.

“I can hold him. I’m not tired, Master.” Ahsoka sighed exasperatedly, and moved to sit down on one of the benches.

“Okay then, suit yourself. I don’t see why you won’t just listen to me.” Anaka rolled her eyes, and replied,

“I  _ do  _ listen to you, Master. I just don’t like being treated like a youngling.”  _ But you are, Skygirl. You’re so young, too young, to have been forced into this war. Force, I don’t even know your age. _

Instead she responded, “You must have patience. What are you trying to prove, anyway?” The teenager's eyes turned downcast.

“That I’m not too young to be your Padawan. I know, I know, most Padawan’s have to be chosen by thirteen, and I am thirteen- I just- I know you didn’t choose me, but if you did- I know you’d want some- some older Padawan, someone more experienced-”  _ Not me,  _ Ahsoka could feel her thinking. Ahsoka gave her an empathetic look.

“Anaka, a very wise Jedi once said, ‘Nothing happens by accident.’ It is the will of the Force that you are at my side.” She placed a hand on Anaka’s shoulder. She let a little mirth seep into her expression, trying to lighten the mood. “I just want to keep you there in one piece.”

Anaka turned her hopeful eyes up at her. Ahsoka grinned back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i love love love the clone wars, but that one line “That I’m not too young to be your Padawan,” always peeved me off. I was like, “but you’re thirteen, wait no you’re actually a year older, you’re not too young, you should already be a padawan by now technically.” I love ahsoka’s (now anaka’s) character, but this one line just always made me go, “huh?”
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment if you liked it, I always do my best to reply!


	3. Crashes and Victories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter, it's about 2,700 words longer than usual, so enjoy!

***

The monastery shook.

“That sounded bad!” Anaka exclaimed, as she stretched out her arms to steady herself. R2 beeped in binary, and a holoimage of the monastery was pulled up. It rotated while an exit flashed red. “A backdoor landing platform!” Ahsoka nodded.

“We’ll call for a gunshop when we get there. Lead the way, R2.” R2 beeped an affirmative, and started heading down the hallway.

“Anaka, wait. Where’s Stinky?” Anaka turned around, to see an empty backpack.  _ Kark. _

“You told me to put him down!” She glared at the empty backpack.

“FInd him!” Anaka looked around, before she heard a panting sound underneath the bench her master was previously sitting on. She growled, and crouched down.

“Come outta there, you grubby little slug.” She yanked his tail. She sighed as she pulled him out, the tiny creature shrieking like he was on fire.

***

Ahsoka placed Stinky back into the backpack Anaka had grudgingly put back on. 

“Let’s see you get away this time, little one.” Her comlink beeped. She prepared to answer, when Rex’s voice came through.

_ “Ahsoka, come in. We’ve held the droids, sir.”  _ Anaka turned around in confusion.

“Ahsoka?” Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. Rex never called her that. Always, ‘sir,’ or ‘General,’ or even ‘Tano.’ 

“That’s not like Rex…” The captain's voice continued to stream through the comlink.

_ “What is your location?”  _ She growled.

“Ventress.” Anaka gasped.

“Dooku’s assassin?” Ahsoka nodded quickly.

“She’s here to kill the Hutt. Come on!”

***

They raced outside the back entrance R2 found, while Ahsoka barked a command into her comlink.

“Tano to Obi-Wan. Mark my position. I need a medical ship immediately! Do you copy?”

Obi-Wan’s voice came through. 

_ “Ahsoka, do you read me? Ahsoka!”  _ The comlink grew static-y. Ahsoka sighed as the conversation fizzled out. 

“I can’t get ahold of Obi-Wan. I’ll see if I can find Rex.” She pulled up his com number.

“Come in Rex, do you copy? Rex? Do you copy?” Through the comlink, she could faintly hear Rex say,  _ “Let me show you how it works, clanker.”  _ Then, the sounds of heavy gunfire, and the shrieking of droids. 

“I think Rex has it under control.” Anaka quipped. Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Then, “Master, can you  _ please  _ take Stinky? He hates me!” Ahsoka ground her teeth, before submitting.

“Fine. Just this once, though.” She shrugged out of the backpack, and handed it off to the Togruta. Ahsoka brought her wrist to her mouth again, and spoke into the com,

“Captain Rex, respond.” 

_ “I read you, General. We’re pinned down in the courtyard.”  _ She spoke again, this time, a little more frantic.

“Do you need help?!” When she only heard more gunfire over the line, she spoke, “I’ll take that as a yes, Captain. Stand by, we’re on our way. Tano out.” The sun was setting in the distance, and Anaka’s bright blue eyes cut through the darkness as she protested,

“Master, the Hutt is really sick! He’s turning every shade of green, except the one he’s supposed to be!” She placed her hands on her hips, and stared her in the eye. “Our mission was to get him back to Tatooine, alive!” She pointed to a random spot distance for emphasis.

“Obi-Wan will get here eventually. Right now, we need Rex to help us find a ship.” R2 beeped from where he was behind Anaka, to where the Droidekas were coming out of their backdoor exit. She saw the blonde roll her eyes.

“Great. Rolling death balls.” The rollies activated their shields, and started to fire at them. They ignited their lightsabers, and started to deflect the bolts. “R2,” Anaka called out. “The door!” R2 went over the control panel, and shut the door just in time, as they could see the looming figure of Asajj Ventress walk out from behind the Droidekas.

_ Just what we need, _ Ahsoka thought, as the red blades started to cut through the metal door.

“Master, I think now’s a good time for a retreat.” Ahsoka decided to tease her.

“‘Retreat’? Padawan, that’s a new word for you.” Anaka rolled her eyes. Ahsoka continued, “Maybe into the jungle.” She turned around, and raced towards the edge. Anaka looked at her in confusion.

“Wait- I remember the jungle being a bad place!” Spider droids crawled up the edge of the cliff, and started firing at them, and missing, but instead, hitting the hives underneath the landing pad, causing the bug-creatures that lived in them to fly out, swarming the air behind them. 

“So much for going that way.” Ahsoka glared at her Padawan. 

“Really, sarcasm? Now?” Anaka just grinned at her, fluttering impossibly long eyelashes in a “who, me?” gesture. Ventress’s blades were progressing in their way to cut an entrance. 

“Looks like we’re out of options.” She told Anaka grimly. The Hutt started whining again, and Ahsoka tried to shush him.

“No, not now, Stinky.” But Anaka saw where Stinky was looking, turned around, and exclaimed, 

“Master! Another landing platform!” At the rock pillar in the distance. 

“With a ship on it!” She finished. “Nice job, Stinky.” The circle Ventress was cutting was almost complete.

“So how’re we gonna get over there?” Ahsoka smirked at her.

“Leave that to me.” And with that, she jumped over the ledge. 

***

Anaka raced desperately to the side.  _ No, no, no, what is she thinking?!  _ As she heard Stinky scream in terror. She then gave a huge sigh of relief when Ahsoka dropped onto one to the- bug things. The bug screeched as it bucked back and forth, trying to throw her Master off.

“I hope I don’t have to learn that,” She muttered. Another explosion rocked the cliff top as the lightsabers finished cutting their way through the metal. With a force push, Asajj discarded the metal off to the side, and stepped through. Anaka turned around, and re-ignited her blue blade. 

She didn’t even have time to call for help as the assassin jumped forward, pressing her red blades against Anaka’s.

She looked so different from when her Master was wielding her dual blades; Ahsoka looked graceful and calm, Asajj looked sloppy and reckless. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t powerful, however. The dark side of the force swirled around her, and she commanded it well- she was a deadly opponent- fast and powerful and strong and determined. 

Anaka was also all of these things. But- she was also a light side wielder. And she was the chosen one. Not in her favour, however, was the fact that she was also only thirteen. 

She pushed forward, relentless, desperately trying to find a weakness in Ventress’s offence.  _ And force, were there a lot- but she was so karking fast. _

With a well timed strike, she managed to knock Anaka to the ground, who gave a groan.

“Where is Tano?” She pointed a curved hilt and her, with the blood red blade that followed. Anaka closed her eyes, ready for the final blow, only to hear,

“Right here, Ventress!” Her master pulled up on the bug thing behind her. She sighed with relief. “Hiyah!” The bug flew forward, sufficiently knocking Ventress to the ground. 

“Time to go,” she murmured to herself. The spider droids pressed forward. The entire landing pad was starting to collapse, rubble and metal pieces falling into the clouds below.  _ Clouds, kark, are we really that high up? _

Anaka heard a whistle, and saw that Ahsoka had turned the bug around, and had reached out a hand for her to grab. “Hop on, Skygirl!” 

“Like I have a choice!” Even with a witty comeback, she still couldn’t keep the relief from flowing through her as she gripped her master's gloved hand. Although that relief was short lived when she realized that R2 had fallen down with the rubble.  _ He’ll use his boosters, he’ll be fine _ . She told herself. She had climbed up behind her Master, arms securely around her waist as they shot over the clouds, Ventress’s angered face behind them.

***

They landed with a  _ thud  _ on the landing pad that was previously in the distance, as R2 set himself down behind them. Ahsoka sighed when she saw the ship.

“We’re taking this junker? We probably won’t even make it through the atmosphere. We’d be better off on that big bug.” Anaka gave a fake gasp of offence.

“Master, don’t talk about her like that! She could be a jewel, and I know my ships, she will be. We’ve just gotta prime the engines.” Then, under her breath, she added, _“Assuming it has engines.”_

“What was that?” Ahsoka called from ahead.

“Nothing!” As she walked forward, she noticed a familiar figure by one of the boxes stacked up on the landing pad. “Hey, you’re that caretaker droid! I wondered what happened to you.” The droid startled.

“Oh, ah- young one! I mean, soon to be Jedi Knight! I… had to get away from that terrible-” But Anaka wasn’t paying attention to him. She was focused on the droid that was walking out of the open ramp of the  Corellian G9 Rigger-class light freighter, (she did know her ships, thank you very much.) 

“Okay, everything’s loaded!” The too-cheerful voice of one of the B1 battle droid chirped. “Let’s get out of... here.” It’s voice dropped when it noticed Anaka.

“Why, you tin-plated traitor!” She ignited her blade, and the caretaker droid commanded,

“Blast her!” She deflected the droids fire with her saber, gritting her teeth in frustration. In the distance, she could hear Ahsoka talking to R2 (who had Stinky strapped against his front) saying, 

“She’s at it again. Let’s go.” She cut through the first two droids with ease, and pointed her saber at the neck of the traitor. 

“Don’t you dare!” It exclaimed. With a well practiced movement, she swung the saber through its neck, and the malfunctioning head stuttered, “Don’t….you...dare.” Before it lost power completely. It landed at the feet of Ahsoka.

She deactivated her lightsaber, and together, they walked into the ship. 

***

“Now lets get Stinky out of here. If we can.” Anaka rolled her eyes from where she sat in the co-pilot's seat. 

“Master, are you sure I can’t fly? It’s literally in my last name! Plus, I always wanted to make flying one of my specialty skills if I was a Padawan. Please?” Ahsoka continued to press the ignition button, to no avail.

_ “Please?”  _ She dragged out the world. After the fifth failed attempt, Ahsoka sighed, and moved to switch seats with her.

“Relax Master, I’ll have us out of here in no time. R2, see if you can spark the ignition couplers.” R2 made his way to the control panel, and then, after a few seconds, beeped a negative. “No, that’s not it. Try opening the fuel lifters all the way.” The ship powered up. Anaka’s face was illuminated in the glowing lights as she said, “Good work, buddy.”

“I have to say, I’m impressed, Padawan.” Anaka flashed her another grin, before hitting the ignition button.  _ Here goes nothing.  _

She maneuvered the ship back to the monastery, and seeing her Master’s Master, her eyes lit up.

“Master Kenobi’s here! Now we’ll see some real fireworks.” Ahsoka raised an eyebrow in mock offense while Stinky squirmed in her lap.

“Excuse me? What do you call what I’ve been doing all day?” Anaka shot the Togruta her signature cocky grin.

“I don’t know. The word, ‘reckless’ comes to mind.” Ahsoka glared at her.

“Very funny, Skygirl. Back to work. The troops still need out help. I’ll charge the main guns.” Anaka reached out a hand to fiddle with the controls above her head.

“How’re we gonna help, Master? Stinky’s getting sicker and sicker.”

“But we promised Rex we’d help them.” Her face set in a determined line.

“Master, we’ve got to get him to the medics on the Jedi cruiser. It’s our only chance to get Stinky back to his father still breathing.” She sighed, before speaking into her comlink.

“Captain Rex, this is General Tano.”

_ “Yes General.”  _ Anaka saw her Master close her eyes briefly, before replying,

“We’re not going to be able to help you.” Anaka could feel the shame and guilt rolling of the Knight in waves. 

_ “Don’t worry about us General, we’ll be alright. This mission always comes first, sir.”  _ They flew overhead of the troopers. 

“I don’t like doing this.” Anaka shot her a worried glance.

“I know, Master. I can feel it.” Ahsoka grit her teeth.

“It’s not that, Anaka. These men, they’re putting their lives out on the line, because they were ordered to. They didn’t have a choice. I can’t just toss them aside, let them be just,  _ things _ . They’re  _ people _ , and they deserve to be treated as such. If I break my promise to them- it should be no different than breaking my promise to anyone else.” Anaka said nothing, biting the inside of her cheek.  _ I understand what that’s like, Master. More than you could know. _

***

They flew over the clouds, preparing to leave the atmosphere. Anaka took a deep breath.

“Master, today I did my best to stay calm, focused, and when I did, everything seemed so easy.” Obviously, that’s when they cleared the clouds to the battle scene of the Republic cruise versus the Separtist fleet.

“Well, get focused, ‘cause things just got a lot harder.” Anaka pushed forward, determined to make it to the cruiser. She maneuvered her way through the blaster fire, as the Separatists flew after them.

“All we’ve gotta do is land on that Jedi cruiser.” Ahsoka told Anaka. “You should let me pilot.” Anaka grit her teeth  _ again  _ as she made a sharp turn to the side. 

“We don’t really have time for that, Master!” As she dodged another bout of blaster bolts. “Kriff, their deflector shields are up! That complicates things.” 

“Anaka. Let. Me. Pilot!” Anaka yelled back.

“I’ve got this!” They both gasped as one of the Republic bolts hit their ship.

“They must think this grease bucket is an enemy ship. Padawan, let me pilot!” Anaka scowled.  _ Doesn’t she trust me?! _

She pressed the ship's communication button, informing them, “Jedi cruiser, hold your fire!” The clone one the other end pressed,

_ “Who is this? Incoming ship, identify yourself. Repeat, identify yourself.” _

“This is Ini- Padawan Skywalker. We have Jabba the Hutt’s son.”  _ Gotta get used to that _ . “He needs medical attention. We must board immediately.”

_ “Stand by.”  _

“Stand by.” Ahsoka grumbled. “That’s helpful.” The ship shook again when Anaka twisted the controls to move the ship into a barrel roll to avoid the oncoming fire.

“Why are you spinning?!” Ahsoka yelled, clutching Stinky.

“Spinning’s a good trick! Hang on!” She ducked the freighter underneath one of the Seppie ships, before pulling upwards in a lightning-quick movement, rapidly gaining altitude. Inside the side, Ahsoka yelled while Stinky screamed, throwing his little arms up in the air. 

Anaka straightened them out, shooting forward, dancing around the cruiser. 

_ “Padawan Skywalker, we think we can lift the shields on the lower rear hanger.”  _ She smiled in relief.

“We’re on our way.” She sped forward, swerving out of the fire again.

“We’ve made it, we’ve made it!” Ahsoka exclaimed in reverence. Anaka flashed her a grin.

“Told you so.” Ahsoka hardened her gaze, and looked her straight in the eye.

“We’ll talk about this later.”  _ Kriff _ . “But, I guess a ‘well done’ is in order.” Anaka grinned again, pressing the ship forwards. Just as she was about to fly in, the Seperatist fighters got in front of them, and crashed into the open hanger doors. 

_ “Padawan Skywalker, abort! Abort!”  _ They heard over the comm line. The hanger blew up in front of their eyes, fiery explosions in front of their faces shooting out into the vacuum of space. 

“That changes our plans!” She turned the ship around with lightning-fast reflexes, and pursued onword in the other direction. She turned to Ahsoka.

“It umm… appears we’ll have to take this thing all the way back to Tatooine.” Ahsoka raised a facial marking.

“It appears so. Can it even achieve hyperspace?” 

“Of course it can!” Anaka retorted. Then, in a smaller voice, added,  _ “Probably.”  _ They flew for a while in silence, until they were a safe distance off of the planet.

“Okay, we’re clear to make the jump to lightspeed. R2, program the navicomputer.” 

“He might not make it, Padawan.”  _ No, no, no. Not gonna happen, especially on our first solo mission. _

“There’s gotta be something we can do for him, right, Master?” Ahsoka sighed, and Anaka got a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“I’ll take a look in the back. Maybe there’s some medical supplies. Keep us steady.” Anaka nodded.

“I’m on it.” She placed Stinky where she was just sitting, and walked through the door that led out of the cockpit, into the rest of the ship. She turned to Stinky and grimaced, but patted his head nonetheless.

“Don’t die on me now, little guy. I may hate your species, but I guess you didn’t do anything. Just hang in there.” She turned back to the main controls.

“If you’ve locked the coordinates, R2, let’s go.” The little droid nodded, Anaka pulled the lever, and they made the jump to hyperspace. 

***

She felt the jolt to hyperspace. She sighed. They might actually make it. She wasn’t  _ mad,  _ with Anaka, per se. Just- frustrated. The girl was a skilled pilot. She knew that.  _ Anaka certainly knew that.  _ She was a very skilled pilot, in fact. One of the most skilled Ahsoka’d ever seen. Definitely better than Ahsoka. But she didn’t know why the girl was so eager to prove herself.

Ahsoka had given her a command, and she didn’t follow it. Especially in a situation like this, when she was the adult,  _ and knew better,  _ that would be an issue. She sighed. No time to focus on it now.

She went over to the medical station that was mounted on the wall, and hit one of the buttons, murmuring,

“Look’s like this hasn’t been used in a while.” A white hologram of the ship’s medical droid appeared, muttering something inaudible, even with her heightened senses. “Hey, Dr. Droid, can you hear me?” In a deep voice, the droid responded,

“Yes, what seems to be the problem?” She sighed in relief, feeling some of the tension leak out of her shoulders. She walked over to where Stinky was lying on a table, being scanned by one of the medical tools.

“Great. I’ve got a sick Huttlet. You got a remedy?” The droid walked over stared at the Hutt for a second before replying, 

“Oh, yes. I see.” The way he stuttered on the ‘oh’ didn’t exactly fill Ahsoka with confidence. He pointed back to the medical supplies. 

“You must dispense one of these medical boosters into the infant’s mouth.” As he spoke, he gestured with a hand, and the capsule containing the supplies opened. Ahsoka reached in, and grabbed one of the ‘medical boosters,’ and held it up to her face. 

“If you have any problems, please call an actual doctor to assist you.” She took the pill in one hand, and dropped the rest of the booster on the ground. 

_ “I hope this works.”  _ She muttered. She turned back to the Hutt. “Okay, sweetums.”  _ Sweetums? Was she going delirious? _ “I’ve got some yum-yum for you.”  _ Yum-yum?! _

She picked up the Hutt with one hand, and tried to place the medicine in the Hutt’s mouth, but the Hutt squirmed and refused to open his mouth. She scowled.

“You’ll take this and like it!”  _ Thank the Force Anaka’s already can do all of this stuff. _

Finally, she shoved it between slimy lips, and the Hutt burped, expelling green gas, before giggling happily. Ahsoka sighed for what felt like the twentieth time that day. Force, she felt almost as old as Obi-Wan.

“There you go. Good boy.” 

She still had to raise a hand to cover her nose and mouth from the smell, however. 

***

They progressed through hyperspace. Ahsoka placed a hand on Stinky’s forehead. 

“The medicine, it’s working! He’s fever broke, I think he’s gonna live to stink another day.” She turned over to where Anaka was standing on top of the captain's seat, arms extended over her head, hydrospanner in hand while she fiddled with one of the power lines. 

“Great. Was keeping him alive as easy as we’d hoped?” Ahsoka smiled.

“Padawan, if I’ve picked up anything from the last few hours, it’s that nothing is easy when you’re around.” Anaka flashed her a trademark grin.

“Why, thank you Snips. I appreciate the compliment. You think Rex and Master Obi-wan made it out okay?” Ahsoka gave her a small grin, arms resting on the top of her seat. 

“If I know my old Master, he has things well in hand. You need any help with that?” Anaka turned around to look at her.

“Yeah, that’d be nice. We’ll want the primary systems fully repaired by the time we reach Tatooine.  _ Home, sweet home.”  _ Ahsoka’s montrals perked up as she handed her the tool she gestured to.

“You were born on Tatooine? So, for you, I guess this trip is like going home.” 

“Yeah.” Anaka’s eyes hardened, as she stared at the streaks of light. “Home.”

***

They reached the Tatoo sector, and flew past Tatoo l and Tatoo ll. Anaka grimaced from where she sat in the pilots seat.  _ Still can’t believe I let her pilot. _

“I was hoping I’d never have to lay eyes on this dust ball again.” Anaka grumbled. Ahsoka frowned.

“Okay… what happened?” Anaka lowered her eyes.

“I’d rather not talk about it, Master. How’s Stinky holding up?” Ahsoka looked to the little Hutt that was sleeping peacefully, covered with a spear piece of cloth they’d found.

“He seems to be feeling much better. He’s fever is gone. Even you have to admit he’s cute when he’s asleep.” She tried to distract her Padawan from the emotional stress she could feel rolling off her.  _ Her presence in the force is so loud, it’s like a supernova.  _

“I’ll admit I like him better when he’s quiet, but only a little.” R2 asked something in Binary, to which Anaka responded,

“No, R2. I want the cannon operational first. Leave the rear deflector shields for later.” Ahsoka narrowed her eyes.

“No rear shields? That’s awfully risky.” Anaka shrugged.

“I always think a strong attack eliminates the need for a defence, Master. But if you want R2 to do them first though, he can.” That’s when the alarm started sounding. Ahsoka pressed one of the controls, and brought up a visual on the screen in front of her.

“Attack ships closing. R2, I want those rear shields now!” R2 beeped in agreement, and went back to the control panel. Anaka scowled as she swerved the ship left and right.

“Somebody doesn’t want Stinky to get home in one piece.” They were jolted forward as one of the shots hit one of the engines. 

“Wow. Quite a welcome home party!” Sparks flew behind them. R2 beeped nervously. Something in Anaka shifted, and she straightened her shoulders, squared her jaw.

“Set the approach vector and make ready to land.” She pushed the lever forward to the sand-covered planet. R2 beeped again.

“I know, buddy.”

“I’ll activate the guns.” She tried, but to no avail. “All the guns are locked in the forward position. R2, hurry with those rear shields!” Anaka gave a sharp turn to the starboard side.

“R2, see if you can unlock those guns!” 

“Sometimes, Padawan, a good defense is the best offence!” 

“I’m sorry! Master, the Hutt!” She swerved again, this time to the port side, and Stinky slid precariously around the shelf. “Hang on!”

She accelerated forward, desperate to get the attackers off their trail. Anaka grinned when she made a sharp downward turn, losing one of the enemy ships.

“Great! You woke the baby!” Along with the wind rushing, and the ship beeping in alarm, she now had to deal with a crying Huttlet.  _ Fun.  _

“Sorry Master, I’m a little busy!” She turned back to the windshield to see… the ship she thought she had lost coming right at them. She narrowed her eyes, and pressed down on the button to make the gun fire. With a well timed shot, the ship exploded. “Got one of them!”

“What about the other one, Anaka?” 

“I’m trying!” One of the shots hit the bottom of the ships, blowing the piece off. More alarms sounded in their ears. “I think we needed those rear shields after all.” 

“I told you so!”  _ Hurry, R2!  _ The ‘so’ was prolonged with another sharp twist, Anaka desperately trying to lose the last ship. 

“R2, turn those guns around!” Ahsoka had fallen against the side of R2 as he pushed into her, Hutt secure in her arms.  _ I hope you know what you’re doing, Padawan.  _

“R2!” Anaka called again, more desperate.

“Why can’t you be a tiny little mouse droid?” Ahsoka panted, while she tried to keep R2 upright in the leaning ship. Anaka steadyed them out, and with a final push, Ahsoka got R2 back in place to the control panel. He gave a positive beep, and the guns turned around.

They started firing back, drawing closer and closer to the planet’s surface. 

“Get ‘em R2!” Anaka encouraged. Finally, the little Astromech hit the right spot, and the ship blew up with a  _ boom.  _

“Good shot, buddy! You’ve been holding out on me.” They were coming in rough, Ahsoka knew that.

“You’ve got that “we’re in trouble look, Padawan.”

“There’s a look?” 

“You can’t miss it.” Anaka gave her a mock glare.

“Very funny Master.”

“Can you tune in the frequency to comm Obi-Wan?”

“Sure thing.” Anaka pressed the comm button, turned a dial, and gave her a nod.

“Obi-Wan, come in.”

_ “Kenobi, here. Ahsoka, have you reached Tatooine yet?” _

“Almost, but we ran into some old…”

_ “Ahsoka, did you get shot down again?”  _ Anaka glared at her, daring her to do it. So of course, she did.

“It was Anaka’s fault!” 

“Hey! This ship is too slow. I haven’t had time to modify it yet.” Ahsoka gave a look of despair at her former master.

“Have I ever told you how sorry I am for being such a nuisance?”

“Hey!”

“I’m still cleaning up your other mess, Ahsoka, but I’ll get there.” Obi-Wan canceled the conversation. 

“So much for reinforcements.” Anaka grinned.

“So, shot down _ again? _ I’d love to hear that story.”  _ Damn it, Obi-Wan. _

“There’s nothing to tell.” Ahsoka replied smoothly. The ship's lights started beeping red, and the alarm sounded again.

“Hang on, this landing could get a little rough!” Ahsoka gave her an unimpressed look.

“Crashes are rough. Landings are not.” Anaka, apparently fed up, bit back,

“Then it’s a crash landing!” The ship was smoking and flaming as it flew through the atmosphere. Pieces of debris flew off at random, and they quickly passed the clouds, and they headed for one of the various dunes seas. They first touched the dunes with a rough bump, before going airborne again. In front of them, a few Sand People had their hands up, screeching.

They flew over their heads, and landed again, this time sliding forward until they skidded to a stop. 

Ahsoka groaned. 

“So Padawan, another happy landing?”

“You got that from Master Kenobi.” She only gave Anaka another groan in reply.

***

They managed to force the ramp open, and Ahsoka walked out of the ship first placing her hand over her eyes, to try and view into the distance. Anaka scoffed, privately.  _ As if there was anything to see. _

“Welcome home, Stinky. She said to the tiny Huttlet in her arms.

“Jabba’s palace is on the far side of the Dune sea.” Ahsoka gave her an inquisitive look. 

“How do you-” Anaka cut her off, quickly.  _ Not thinking about that, not now. _

“I haven’t been here in ten years, Master, but I still remember some things.  _ Remember the cracking of the whip, the last breath of her mother-  _ “If we want to make it by morning, we should start now.” Ahsoka nodded, and placed Stinky in the backpack she had slung over her shoulders.

With an impressive force jump, Ahsoka leaped off the ramp onto the dunes below,Stinky content to sit in her backpack. 

“I’m right behind you, Master.” She too, jumped down, crouching for a moment, before regaining her balance, and standing back up. R2 beeped nervously from his position on the ramp.

“Oh, R2, it’s just endless hills of gritty, abrasive sand, that’s rough, course, irritating, and gets everywhere. I’ll clean your servos later. Come on!” He used his boosters, and landed on the sand behind them, following the Jedi. 

Unbeknownst to them, a group of Sand People stood behind them, chattering excitedly in Tusken, gesturing excitedly to each other, and then the ship.

***

As the twin suns began to set, they trekked onward, past the bones of what Anaka figured to be a krayt dragon. Ahsoka, from where she walked ahead, mentioned,

“Master Yoda has a saying. ‘Old sins cast long shadows.’ Do you… what do you think that means, Padawan?” Anaka scowled from behind her.

“I think he means your past can ruin your future if you allow it.”  _ Don’t think about her face, stop subtly prying Master, it hurts-  _ “But- it was Padawan Skywalker who said ‘I don’t want to talk about my past.’”  _ Stop prying, please, please, please- _

“Padawan- I just want to help-” Anaka threw her hands up in the air.

“I know! That’s all anyone wants to do! But it never works! My past is behind me, and that’s that! Please just leave it alone, Master.” And she hated how defeated, and broken she sounded in the end. Because that’s all she was. Defeated and broken. Ahsoka tried to lighten the mood.

“There’s so much more we can talk about! Like the sand!” Anaka growled at said sand.

“The desert is merciless. It takes everything from yo u. _ Mee hate doe desert. Soong cruel um goola um can u e chu ta ovv?”  _ __

“That’s a happy thought. Is that Huttese?” Anaka dropped her gaze.

“Maybe.” She could feel Ahsoka continued to pry.

“How do you know Huttese?” Anaka kept her eyes trained on the ground.

“It was my… first language.” She waited for the insult, that “wow, freak!” Her other clanmates would call her, teasing her when she couldn’t understand or speak or read or write basic as well as them, when she spoke with the Tatooine accent she tried so hard to cover up. Instead, she got a,

“Really? That’s so cool! I really only know basic, I mean, I know snippets of other languages, but…” And she was content to listen to her Master go on and on about different languages, dragging to conversation away from the one topic Anaka really didn’t want to discuss.

***

Tatoo l had just crossed the horizon line when Anaka stopped in her tracks. 

“We’re not alone.” 

“I sense it, too. It’s the dark side of the force.” Anaka shivered, slightly. Stinky, almost as if understanding what they were saying, pulled the flap of the backpack over his head.

“Whatever it is, it’s coming for the Hutt. Time to split up.” Anaka turned back to her, slight terror written on her face.

“We’ll face it together, Master.” She came closer to her, and Ahsoka put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Not this time, Skygirl. I have a far more important mission for you.” Anaka shook her head violently.  _ What is it about this planet that’s getting to her so much? She was born here, shouldn’t she be relieved at a chance to see it again? _

“More important than keeping you alive?” The younger girl pressed. 

“Anaka, I need you to trust me on this one.” She gulped, and nodded slightly.

***

The three suns were high in the air as Ahsoka walked forward, backpack still on. She heard the tell tale sound of a speeder, and stopped. It too, skittered to a stop, and off stepped the looming figure of Count Dooku, draped in a cloak. Ahsoka ignited her saber.

“Surrender the Huttlet or die, Tano.” He out stretched his hand, and bolts of lightning rained down on her-  _ just like Geonosis.  _ But this time, she was prepared. She deflected it all with one of her sabers, without even breaking a sweat. Dooku pulled out a curved hit, ignited the blade, and ran forward to meet Ahsoka’s twin sabers. She caught the first blow by making an ‘x’, pushing the Count back. 

He pulled away, and went to strike on her side, but she deflected it. She pushed to strike back, but-  _ kark you, Makashi,  _ he was too fast. The exchanged blow for blow, coming to a stalemate when shot blocked Dooku’s red blade by turning her two blades sideways, parallel.

“Your training has come a long way, girl.” She growled, exposing sharp canines, and pushed forward, they both leaped back, before running in again. There were no more words said for a while, just saber against saber, the sand, the moons, and nothing else.

“Ah, Ataru. That was Qui-Gon’s saber form. You were quite close, weren’t you? I sense those strong feelings. Feelings of pain, loss. I mourned his death too.” She snarled.  _ How dare he, he had no right-  _ Using a force push that may or may not have been giving into anger, she moved the sand forward, burying his cloaked form until she could only see the red of his saber. 

He twirled his saber to deflect the sand, and pushed it right back with an elegant hand movement. Her eyes widened for a second.  _ Well, kriff.  _ She was blown back, falling face first into the sand, sabers lost in the sediments behind her. He ran forward, preparing to strike the killing blow, when Ahsoka called one of her sabers to her hand, and blocked the strike just in time.

She scrambled to her feet, and was turning around to strike back, when she felt a saber go through her backpack. It knocked her to the ground again, landing on her hands and knees. She panted heavily.

“You’ve failed, Jedi. I have killed Jabba’s son.” She gave a slight smirk.

“You’ve fallen for my little trick, Count. It’s nothing but rocks.” She threw the broken backpack at Dooku’s feet, sliced rocks tumbling out. “The Huttlet is with my Padawan, safely at Jabba’s palace.” She expected the Count to howl in rage, or do  _ something.  _ So she hated, and got a sinking feeling in her stomach, when he said,

“I expected such treachery from a Jedi. I assure you my web is strong enough to catch your insignificant little Padawan.” She scowled.  _ How dare he! _

“She’s more skillful that you think.” His eyes narrowed.

“You deceive yourself!” He ran forward, malicious intent in her eyes. Ahsoka called her other saber to her hand, green blade springing to life and she crossed sabers with Dooku. 

***

She wondered,  _ again,  _ why she agreed to this plan. Why would  _ she,  _ of all people, go to the Hutt Palace. Jabba even knew who she was.  _ Him and karking Gardulla.  _ Would the female Hutt recognize her? Was she still even there? 

As far as Anaka knew, Jabba solely ruled Tatooine now. She didn’t know what happened to Gardulla, and she certainly didn’t want to. Though, surely Jabba wouldn’t recognize her. As long as she didn’t state her name, she’d be fine. 

She huffed as she neared the palace, Stinky strapped to her back with spare fabric they had found lying in the desert. Correction: she had found. Her Master was off doing force knows what (well, she knew, but she was on her high horse, so she wasn’t about to admit it.)

She stopped when she felt the disturbance in the force. She ignited her saber (this grip was so much easier, she didn’t know why her Master preferred an unorthodox reverse grip.) and turned to face the MagnaGaurds that bursted out of the sand. And they had electro staffs. Joy.

***

Ahsoka and Dooku were relentless in their fighting. It was a truly spectacular fight, a dark side Makashi wielder, full of elegance and grace, and a Jedi Ataru Jar’Kai fighter, who relied on acrobatics and their connection with the living force. 

They went back and forth, lightsabers buzzing in the night sky. Eventually, Dooku gained the upper hand, and with a force push, Ahsoka fell to the ground, tumbling down the dune they were fighting on. As she hit the ground, her sabers extinguished. 

She panted and tried to turn her head around, to Dooku, who had a holographic projector in his hand.

“Look, I have a message from your Padawan.” The blue image of Anaka showed up, in her Djem So variant stance. She was shifting her feet back and forth, looking at whatever opponent she was facing nervously. Ahsoka growled.  _ That was her Padawan.  _ She was done with Dooku’s games.

With a cry, she launched herself at the Sith, catching him off guard, and sending him falling backwards down the hill. The holoimage fell on top of the sand, showing Anaka grunting as she fought off the MagnaGuards.  _ They had electrostaffs, oh force, no.  _ She gave a cry of frustration when she pushed back one of the droids' staff with her saber. The hologram cut out.

“After my droids kill Jabba’s son, they will deliver your Padawan to him for punishment for the Huttlet’s murder. I can’t imagine he will be merciful.” Ahsoka stared him down.  _ If I kill him now- it’ll waste time in me getting back to help Anaka. I can’t lose her- I can’t. I've only known her for a little while, but- I can’t.  _

She deactivated her sabers, and ran off in the opposite direction. She clambered on to Dooku’s speeder, and sped off towards Anaka. She could still hear Dooku’s laughter in the distance, followed by the taunting, “So predictable.”

***

R2 ran forward to one of the MagnaGaurds with his taser. The droid used his staff to jab him in the stomach, and the droid flew backwards with a scream.

“R2!” She called. She caught the end of one of the droids' staff with her saber, before moving to push another one back.  _ I guess this is why Master likes two sabers.  _

“Three against two? Stinky, you watch my back!” The little Hutt was growing on her. She fell into a defensive stance, saber held with two hands in front of her. 

For a minute, nothing was said as she retreated further and further away from the palace, repeatedly meeting the end of the electrostaffs, purple electricity sparking against her saber. She was pushed back further and further, until she lost her footing, and slid down the side of the sand dune. R2 beeped.

She landed face first into the sand at the bottom of the cliff. Stinky wailed. “I thought you liked the play in the sand.” Anaka managed to get out. She ran to the other side of the cliff, and rather than wasting time scaling it, used her unparalleled power in the force to jump to the top. The droids made their way to the bottom, expecting to find her, but saw nothing.

She jumped down from the top, igniting her saber in one smooth movement while she cut the first MagnaGuard in half. She moved into an offence glance, and glowered at the other two droids. 

“Master! Master, over here! Ma-” She was cut off by pressing her lightsaber against the second MagnaGuard’s electrostaff. She growled as Ahsoka sped along the top of the cliff, not hearing her please for help. “She never listens.” 

*** 

Ahsoka made her way to the top.  _ Please don’t let me be too late, please don’t let me be too late.  _

“Where is my Padawan?” She commanded.

“This way.” The Protocol Droid offered. Then stopped. “Ah, your weapons, please.” She wanted to say something, but surrounded by Jabba’s guards that all had blasters, she couldn’t really refuse. She grudgingly placed her sabers in the droid's hand, and followed it inside.

***

Anaka panted as she blocked another one of the droids blows.  _ I can’t keep this up much longer. _

They pushed forward and forward, until she was trapped between the cliff side, and them. 

“Okay sticky-tinny sleemos, you’re going back to Dooku in pieces. 

***

They walked to the throne room, where Jabba sat.  _ Anaka was right. They do grow up to be truly disgusting.  _

“This is Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano.” The droid introduced her. “As Count Dooku said, your son is not with him.”  _ No, no, no, Anaka! _

“What?! Your son’s not here?” 

“Jedi poodoo!” Jabba growled.  _ Even without Anaka, it’s pretty easy to tell what he means.  _ The guards and bounty hunters advanced on him, pulling out blasters and aiming them.

“Where’s Anaka?!”

***

She ran forward, deactivating her blade as she went. SHe leaped over the head of one of the droids, grabbing it’s electrostaff in the process. She jammed it into the stomach of the second one, and watched with satisfaction as it did the droid equivalent of dying. To be sure, she sliced him into three pieces, cutting off his legs, then decapitating it.

She unsheathed her saber, and started back at the other droid, who had grabbed the first droid-she’d-killed’s electrostaff. She backflipped, Stinky screaming as her Padawan braid, bare except of the singular blue bead, slapped him in the face. 

***

The Hutt said something in rapid-fire Huttese, which Ahsoka couldn’t even begin to decipher. She used the force to call each saber towards its respective hand, pointing them threateningly in an ‘x’ at Jabba’s neck. 

“What have you done with my Padawan?!”  _ Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.  _ She apologized to her inner Master Yoda, but right now, she didn’t give a kriff. 

The Hutt said something, to which the droid translated,

“You came here to kill Jabba.”  _ What? _

“Mighty Jabba,”  _ Mighty, is that the right word?  _ “I came here to negotiate.” 

***

Back and forth, back and forth, she pushed, until finally, finally, she found the weakness in the droid’s defence. She cut it in half, and watched as the pieces fell to the ground. She sheathed her blade, and fell to the ground. She panted, eyes dropping despairing as her hair fell around her shoulders, and down her back.

“Being a Padawan is harder than I thought. Let’s get you home.” 

***

Jabba, apparently, didn’t agree. The angered Hutt had the droid translate, saying,

“You came here to die.”  _ Well, isn’t that welcoming.  _

“Stop!” Anaka’s voice rang out from the entrance, as R2 beeped encouragingly next to her. She put a hand on the wall to steady herself, before gesturing to the Hutt in her arms. Ahsoka deactivated her sabers as Anaka stepped forward, and held out Stinky to his father. Both Hutts said something Ahsoka didn’t understand, but Anaka did, so she leaned over and whispered,

“What’re they saying?” She grinned back.

“Something overly sappy and mushy that makes you cringe.” Jabba had the droid speak again, Anaka shifting into a defensive position as she heard the words before her Master.

“You are to be executed immediately.” They both recoiled in shock.

“What?” They asked together. All of the henchmen and guards pointed their blasters at them. Ahsoka and Anaka fell back to back, igniting their sabers. 

“Does this always happen to you?” Anaka asked from where she was pressed against her back.

“Everywhere I go.” They got ready to defend themselves, before Jabba’s communication device went off. The droid told Jabba,

“Your Uncle Ziro is contacting us.” It pressed the device, and the blue holo version of Padme appeared.

“Greetings, Honorable Jabba. I am Senator Amidala of the Galactic Congress. I have discovered a plot against you by one of your own.” Jabba’s face changed to one of more shock. “Your uncle will admit he conspired with Count Dooku to kidnap your son, and frame the Jedi for the crime.” He moved out of the frame, as the image switched to Ziro the Hutt.

Jabba’s face contorted, and he started crying out angrily in Huttese. Ziro pleaded back, but Jabba was having none of it.

“It was Count Dooku!” The older Hutt proclaimed, thankfully (for Ahsoka) switching back to basic, desperately trying to gain innocence. Jabba growled, and shouted something in Huttese, with one of the words sounding distinctly like, ‘kill.’

“Ziro will be dealt with by the Hutt family most severely.” The protocol droid informed them. The holo image switched back to Padme.

“Perhaps now, you will allow the Republic to use your trade routes, and hostilities will come to an end.” Jabba chuckled, before saying something else. Ahsoka felt Anaka relax against her, so she knew it was good news. The droid confirmed it.

“Jabba agrees. A treaty is in order.” Padme smiled from the hologram.

“You will not regret this, Jabba.” Anaka and Ahsoka stepped back, and sheathed their lightsabers. The droid translated again,

“The clone armies may move through Jabba’s territories.” 

“Senator, you have my undying gratitude.” Ahsoka smiled at the hologram. Padme smiled back. 

“No, Master Tano, it is I, and the Republic, who owes you thanks.” They shared another smile, before the transmission cut out.  **(A/N: NOT PADME/AHSOKA. They’re just really good friends.)** The tension in the room cleared, slightly. Stinky raised his hands in celebration. 

“Jabba would be most appreciative if you bring Dooku to justice for his crimes against the Hutts.” The droid added. Ahsoka nodded.

“You can count on it, Jabba.”

They walked outside the palace together, the twin suns just beginning to rise. Once they left, Ahsoka pulled Anaka into a bone-crushing hug, Anaka stiffening, before melting into it. 

“You did good today, Padawan.” Ahsoka told her. Anaka pulled away, and gave her a blinding smile.

“Thanks, Master.” A transport shuttle flew in, and gently landed on the ground, General Kenobi, Yoda, and a few troopes disembarked, Yoda and Obi-Wan walking towards them. 

They all shared a smile, meeting each other's eyes with an easy grace. They had won, this time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've finished the end of The Clone Wars movie! As you can see, I'm planning on making this a lot longer than just the movie, I'm planning to go through the whole series, including Rebels (Although a lot of events will happen much differently 'cause it would be boring if I didn't stray more from canon than I already have.) Anyway, I'm already working on the next chapter (so that should be out in a week, max!), I've gotten really in to this universe. Thank you so, so much for reading!!!


	4. Trials and Hardships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry for how late this is! I really wanted to plus out the best work I could, I'm sorry that this is so late! (This chapter will take place between the TCW movie and Rising Malevolence. I could not find a distinct time period between the two, so just know that this takes place between then. This chapter mainly consists of the two getting to know each other more, moving into their new quarters, just fluff, really. 
> 
> Also, I’m changing quite a bit how Jedi housing works (normally, Knights away on missions a lot would be given just temporary quarters, and I believe Wookieepedia also mentioned that padawans don't even stay with their master, they have their own quarters, but I WANT TO SO I CAN IN THE NAME OF PUNISHMENT FOR GEORGE LUCAS GIVING STAR WARS OVER TO DISNEY AND I WILL FIGHT YOU ON THIS- that was most uncivilized. I sincerely apologize. 
> 
> May the force be with you. It’s been a rough week. Anyway, It’ll also start to build more on Anaka’s relationship with Obi-Wan (because in NO UNIVERSE EVER are Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker not siblings. It’s just not possible.)
> 
> Enjoy!

**_Primeday (Anaka):_ **

She stared at it. No, she  _ glared  _ at it. It wasn’t possible. It simply  _ wasn’t  _ possible. Obi-Wan’s Kintan Strider sat triumphantly on the circular board, 

“Force. Master, you told me he was good, but-  _ how _ ?” Ahsoka shrugged from where she sat on one of the armchairs in Obi-Wan’s quarters. “It has to be like- a special skill, or something.” Anaka continued. “He doesn’t just read your mind with the force- he also gets, like, little mini-visions of your entire strategy, or something.”

“Or, I actually have said strategy. It can go a long way, you know. A little planning in advance.”

“Yeah. Or, you’re just freakishly good a Dejarik.” Ahsoka nodded vehemently in agreement.

“Finally, someone who understands. I’ve been struggling for  _ years,  _ here, Anaka, and let me tell you- there’s no escape. It’s just humiliation on top of humiliation on top of humiliation.” Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, and swatted away the arm Ahsoka had dramatically wrapped around his shoulders. 

“Don’t let her corrupt you, Anaka. She’s been trying to do it to me for years.” Anaka stifled a laugh. It was always so fun seeing how her Master and Master Kenobi interacted with each other.

Calm when rash, serene when angered, defensive when playing moderator. The thing they both had, however, was their commonsense. (Something that Anaka sorely lacked. (Though she’d never admit it.) They made an interesting pair, though it was obvious they cared about each other deeply.

“Hear that, Master? You’ve been corrupting me.” Ahsoka gasped in fake despair. She shook her head, montrals swaying slightly.

“No, no! Damn it, Obi-Wan, now she knows.” The Jedi Master gave her an unapologetic look.

“Master?” Anaka gave her a pleading look, with the rebuffed puppy eyes she knew no one could top. “Is- is this true?” Ahsoka rolled her eyes in exasperation, and tugged on her Padawan braid.  _ Ow!  _ She told Ahsoka as much.

“You’re so lucky you don’t have human hair, you know.” Ahsoka rolled her eyes again.

“I mean, me and Master Kenobi are the ones who have to struggle here, not you. Especially Master Kenobi. He’s already experienced the widely known epidemic called, ‘gray hair’-  _ ow!”  _ She rubbed at the spot where the base of her Padawan braid met her scalp, glaring at Obi-Wan, who was looking innocently in the opposite direction. “Traitors, all of you.” 

Ahsoka laughed, and slung an arm around her shoulders. 

“Don’t take it to heart- everyone knows that it’s the Master’s duty to annoy their Padawan. That’s why I turned out the way I did, you know. Having to constantly suffer through Obi-Wan reign of terror-” She yelped when one of the throw pillows was used for that- throwing. She took on a gleeful grin.

“You should use the force for such frivolous things, Master. It’s unbecoming of a Jedi to-” She was smacked in the face again. Anaka didn’t even try to contain her laughter this time, clutching her stomach as she rolled around on the couch, struggling to catch her breath. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan stared at her, one exasperated, one mildly pleased. When she finally calmed down, she looked them in the eye, and announced,

“You guys have the greatest relationship ever!” Ahsoka snorted, and Obi-Wan looked stunned. “No, really! I mean, you know each other so well, and you always laugh around each other…” Ahsoka smiled, and gave her a gentle nudge through the beginnings of the force bond they had started. Obi-Wan, deciding the moment was too awkward, added,

“Trust me, Anaka- you can’t escape it. She will constantly cling to you until you become close with her, it’s just in her nature.” Anaka shot him a grateful smile.  _ Okay, no more sappiness right now. Gotta make a good impression and everything.  _

“Now, you might be good at Dejarik,” Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, and she conceded. “Okay, fine, freakishly good a Dejarik- there, better? But I’m the queen of Sabaac. No way you can beat me.”

**_Primeday (Ahsoka):_ **

He could, in fact, beat her. Anaka was still complaining about it as they made their way to their new quarters. 

“Honestly Master, literally no one could beat me! I even beat Master-” Ahsoka cut her off by placing a hand over her mouth.

“I get it, you’re good at Sabaac. You did play very well- it’s just that Obi-Wan is Obi-Wan.” Anaka humphed, and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Yeah, I guess.”

“So… are you ready for the grand reveal?” Anaka lost all of her sulky attitude, excited at the prospect of their new quarters. “Three, two, one…” She entered the code she had told the temple maintenance droids to set it to, and the automatic door slid open.

They both stared.

“Well…, that was anticlimactic.” Ahsoka glared at her.

“Thank you, peanut gallery.” It was anticlimactic, though Ahsoka would never give her Padawan the satisfaction of knowing that. She walked in, and looked around. Gray walls, gray ceiling, wooden floor-  _ at least they had a window,  _ Ahsoka figured. Anaka frowned as she paced along the walls.

“Is this seriously all there is?” Ahsoka opened her mouth to chastise her, already having the perfect Obi-Wan lecture on her tongue, before closing her mouth again. She was, honestly, expecting a bit more.

She and Obi-Wan’s apartment had been bigger. And had been decked out with more cool stuff. She guessed, as a knight, she shouldn’t really be saying “cool stuff,” but she had a Padawan now, so that had to count for something. Their apartment was anything but ‘cool’. 

They had a sitting room, which they had walked into, and there were two doors off on the left side of the room, which were probably the bedrooms. There wasn’t really a right wall, just a sort of- arch, she supposed, which led into a kitchen. A kitchen. Who needed that? A full blown kitchen.  _ Kriff.  _ She couldn’t cook to save her life. Anaka had better, or Dex was going to be seeing a lot more of them.

She was about to search for where the door to the ‘fresher was, when Anaka’s voice rang out from the other end of the apartment.

“Master, can I have the big room?” 

“No!” There was no way  _ that  _ was happening. “Anaka… do you cook, by chance?” She heard Anaka’s muffled reply from where she was scoping around the bedroom that was definitely the bigger one.

“I’m karking awful, why?”  _ Sweet Force.  _ They were doomed.

“Language!” She could feel Anaka’s presence walk into the room.

“Are you seriously going to do that?” She crossed her arms, and attempted to look intimidating, which looked more adorable than anything else, in her current state. Cheeks rosy from all the sun exposure of their last mission, hair back into its messy bun- that Ahsoka learned was her favorite hairstyle- and the large, oversized cloak that seemed to swallow her whole.  _ Wait- that was her cloak!  _

“I’m the master- I set the language rules.” Anaka raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

“How ‘bout this? I’ll set up all of my cool gadgets around the apartment, holoscreen, surround sound, the works, and in return, I can use whatever swear language I want?” Ahsoka narrowed her eyes.  _ No, no, it’s like a mini Obi-Wan. I’m never going to survive this. _

“Only while in the apartment.” Anaka considered it.

“And while on the battlefield.”  _ She’s good. _

“Deal.” They shook on it.

  
  


**_Centaxday (Ahsoka):_ ** She bit back a curse as her knee bumped into the corner of the holo cart  _ again.  _ Wasn’t it supposed to be the maintenance droids that did things like this?

“Do you at least have a list?” She asked Anaka who looked no more pleased about the situation than her. The blonde shuffled her feet, and played with the loops on her utility belt, which was sufficiently lacking a lightsaber.

“Umm… yeah. In my brain. I memorized it.” Ahsoka momentarily regretted ever leaving her bed. The very bare bed, that was really just a mattress, since they hadn’t gotten their old things yet, and maybe,  _ maybe,  _ Ahsoka was putting off fully moving out of her and Obi-Wan’s- just Obi-Wan’s quarters now, she supposed. 

“Anaka.” She turned her big blue eyes towards her.  _ Kriff it, it's the rebuffed puppy eye again. _

“How are we supposed to go shopping without the list?” She rolled her eyes.

“I told you, I have the list. In my brain. I’m such a good Padawan, I memorized it.” Ahsoka briefly, briefly, considered asking to be demoted back to the rank of Padawan, just to not be on the receiving end of the snark.

“Fine. But if we forget something, it’s on you.” Anaka scoffed.  _ Yeah, you scoff now. But just wait until you forget to right down Obi-Wan’s tea, and he goes completely ballistic when you get back-  _ Well. No use dwelling on the past. Even if she still had the scar.

“So, where’s our first stop?”

“You said you memorized the list, you tell me!” Ahsoka could  _ see _ the witty comeback on the tip of Anaka’s tongue, but the padawan wisely bit it back. “And where’s your saber?” Anaka flushed a bright red, and kept her eyes trained firmly on the floor, sufficiently  _ away _ from the missing lightsaber on her belt. 

“I… um, well-” Ahsoka bit back a groan.

“You left it in our quarters?” She kept her head down. “Wait- no, you didn’t.” Anaka’s skin flushed brighter.

“How’d you lose it?!” She all but wailed. The snark, she could work with. The swearing? She did a fair bit of it herself. But the losing-lightsaber-constantly? That would be a bit harder. But she shouldn’t get ahead of herself. Maybe it was a one-time thing, or something.

“It umm, it- happens kind of often.” Nope. She was officially doomed. 

“Is it still at the temple? You did have it yesterday.” Anaka nodded vigorously.  _ Good. She’s enough trouble by herself, if she had lost it while we were in the Teth system, or force forbid- Tatooine-  _ “Okay. We’ll look for it when we get back.” Anaka’s grin was blinding.  _ You’re not getting off that easily.  _ “No tinkering with R2 until you find, though.” 

She grinned at the pout on Anaka’s face.  _ That’s what you get.  _ Maybe she wasn’t the worst twenty-year-old Master after all.  **(A/N: The age gap between Anaka and Ahsoka will be 6-7 years, instead of Anakin and Ahsoka’s 4-5.**

**_Centaxday (Anaka):_ **

She breathed a sigh of relief as they made their way through the aisles.  _ Got out of that one pretty easily.  _

It was true, sadly, that she had a reputation between the initiatives for losing her lightsaber. Her former clan had made their way to Ilum for the first time six months ago, and she had already lost her lightsaber twice since then.  _ Well, three times now.  _

She furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to remember exactly what the list she was supposed to bring consisted of. 

“Umm, okay- we need blue milk next.” Ahsoka shot her an exasperated look, gesturing two the full cartoon of blue milk they already had inside their cart. 

“Skygirl, we got that twenty minutes ago.”  _ Oops. _

“Right… I- ah, I meant Bantha Meat! Same syllables, and all, so they're easy to mix up! ‘Cause umm, Togrutas are carnivores, right?” Ahsoka looked grudgingly impressed. 

“You remembered.” She could feel that even though the older Jedi didn’t look it, she was pleased that Anaka could remember. Ahsoka’s head perked up slightly. “Oh, that reminds me, while we’re here- any food stuff I should know about?” Anaka raised a questioning eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“Y’know,” the Togruta continued, “Like, food allergies, or preferences, and stuff.” Oh. That kind of stuff.

“Well, I- uh, I don’t eat meat-”  _ Slave, slave, that’s all I’ll ever be, won’t subject another living thing to that horror-  _ “Or, umm, eggs,”  _ Eggs that would’ve been life, hatched into something else, fate decided by something else, who even gets the right to choose that?-  _ “And diary.” Okay, so maybe there was no story behind that. It was quite possible that perhaps, just maybe, her stomach didn’t react that well to diary. 

Thankfully, Ahsoka didn’t pry, instead replying,

“Oh, neat! Thank the force, we won’t have to get you adjusted to rations then, non-perishables can be really hard if you’re not used to that kind of stuff. Wait- is that why there’s all this fruit, then?” Well, duh. What else was she supposed to eat? Just pure carbs? She spoke as much to her Master. Ahsoka, to her credit, just laughed.

“Good point. Okay, so- what’s next?”

**_Taungsday (Anaka):_ **

After they had hauled their two cart loads of groceries back to their quarters, they searched the temple up and down for Anaka’s saber, to no avail, so she didn’t get to work with R2, which had left her very, very grumpy. Hey, she was a teenager. Call it angst, if one wished.

Then she had spent another night sleeping on a rock-hard bare mattress, because  _ someone,  _ (her master, but she wasn’t going into specifics. (Okay, she was.) had decided not to go get their stuff  _ again.  _ Seriously, what was bothering her so much? She couldn’t do her promised surround sound system without her materials.

She was left to ponder exactly what Ahsoka’s aversion was to moving into their new apartment while they had spent the second night in their new home. Their conversation at breakfast, however, had enlightened them. 

_ She walked into the kitchen, hair a knotted mess tumbling down her back. She wrapped the cloak that was definitely not her Master’s, no siree, tighter around her shoulders, as she stifled back a yawn. She was met with a fully made breakfast waiting for her.  _

_ “I thought you didn't cook?” She asked, sitting down at the seat opposite of Ahsoka’s that was now definitely becoming her new official spot to sit. Ahsoka shrugged from across the rounded table. Anaka wrinkled her nose at the smell of Ahsoka’s jerky. _

_ “Wait- are you not comfortable with me eating meat around you? Because I can- umm, we can eat at different times and stuff-” Anaka ignored the way Ahsoka’s ramble made something- that was absolutely not happiness- pool in the bottom of her stomach. _

_ “No, no- I don’t mind. It’s just  _ gross.”  _ She emphasized the world, trying to stress how, just-  _ eww _ , that was. There really wasn’t any other word for it. Ahsoka shook her head, laughing slightly. _

_ “Well, it tastes fine to me. Here- I attempted to make toast. I even put some of that Nabooian jam we found yesterday on top. And I made Caf and everything.” Oh thank the force, finally, a Master that understands the need for caffeine in her body- “It’s deCaf, of course.” Goodbye, ever feeling awake again.  _

_ “Master!” She glared at the offending Caf as if it was the most horrendous substance in the galaxy. If it was deCaf, it probably was. Ahsoka grinned unapologetically. _

_ “You can get regular Caf when you find your saber.” She grinned her sharp canines at her. Dein frik. Fine. Be that way. “Now hush and eat your toast.” She ended up taking one bit of the toast, spitting it out, actually drinking,  _ and swallowing,  _ the deCaf, and vowing never, never,  _ never,  _ to eat her Master’s cooking again. Even the deCaf could be barely considered deCaf. _

_ “Umm, no offense, Master, but where’d you put the vegan protein bars we bought yesterday?” Ahsoka just looked kind of resolved, as if she was expecting this to happen. While she was pulling one of the cheerfully wrapped bars from the box, she called over her shoulder, “When’re we getting the rest of our stuff, Snips?”  _

_ She felt her master stiffen in the force, just momentarily. But she covered it up with a smooth, “When you get back from finding your lightsaber!” She had then proceeded to stuff the rest of her protein bar down her throat, made her Master promise they would eat out for lunch, and then was shooed out of their apartment to find her lightsaber. _

_ Her Master said she had to find her saber. That didn’t mean she couldn’t take a detour, first.  _

She walked down the hallways, before coming to a stop before the door to Obi-Wan’s quarters. She took a deep breath, before knocking twice. She heard muffled shuffling from inside, before the door opened to reveal Obi-Wan, in all of his five-foot ten glory. Really, being almost as tall as him was  _ fun.  _

“Anaka, come on in. I assume you came for this?” He walked over to his coffee table, and picked up the familiar lightsaber hilt that was resting next to a pile of neatly-stacked data pads. 

“What-  _ how?  _ I’ve been looking for that since yesterday!” Obi-Wan gave a laugh, before leading her over to the spot she was sitting in two days ago. 

“Just wait a second, the kettle’s almost done.” She raised an eyebrow in confusion, but said nothing, hand loosely fiddling with the hem of one of the ends of her blue sleeves. Obi-Wan came back in a minute, two cups full of steaming water, and handed her a cup that smelled distinctly peppermint.

“How’d you know?” Obi-Wan gave her a smile.

“You don’t really seem like a tea person, I figured I’d provide the sweetest option possible.” Anaka flashed him a grin, taking a sip of her tea-  _ not awful-  _ and letting the warm mug settle in her ungloved hands, the tea warming her tanned hands. 

“So tell me, why are you really here?” Anaka was about to ask  _ yet again _ how he knew, but decided against it, because this was  _ Master Kenobi,  _ and he was bound to know practically anything and everything. Huh. Master Kenobi sounded weird in her head. She didn’t know when she started mentally referring to him as Master Kenobi, but it felt good.

“I’m worried about my Master.” She confessed, feeling smaller than she thought she should. “I know the past few days, kriff, even the past few months must have been really tough on her- and I don’t really think she’s handling it well, or even choosing to accept it, really.” 

If Obi-Wan minded her use of the swear word, he didn’t show it. Instead, he merely set his cup down on the table, and asked,

“How so?” Anaka took a deep breath.  _ Into the line of fire.  _

“Well, she’s refusing to come get her stuff from here. We’ve had plenty of time and opportunities to over the last few days- but I kind of think she’s putting it off. We don’t have anything even in our apartment, really, besides furniture.” Obi-Wan leaned back in his chair, and stroked his beard pensively for a moment, doing what Ahsoka had dubbed as, “The Beard Thing.” Then his eyes lit up.

“How about I help you bring her things over, then? And then, perhaps, you can conveniently step out to get your things, and her and I can talk?” Anaka flashed him a blinding smile.  _ I knew Obi-Wan would get it.  _

**_Centaxday (Ahsoka):_ **

Really, bless her, she did  _ try  _ to be discrete, and she was an absolute  _ anirk  _ **(A/N: Ryl for sweetheart.)** for doing this, and her intentions were so, so pure- but her Padawan couldn’t lie to save her life. (Well, she could, but Ahsoka didn’t know this yet.) 

She had a good start, Ahsoka would give her that. She and Obi-Wan had walked in, arms filled with boxes stacked precariously on top of each other, and they had a small army floating (courtesy of the force) behind them. 

They had marched into the living room, where she had been hunched over a table, reading the mission report that the Republic had given to the Senate about their escapade to Tatooine. Anaka had told her, 

“We stopped along the way to get our share of kitchen supplies from the supply droids, since eating off of napkins and tea cups that you smuggled from Master Kenobi’s is  _ not  _ fun.” 

They had taken to putting all of the necessary kitchen supplies and utensils in their proper place (though for what for, Ahsoka had no idea, since neither of them could cook.) 

They had rearranged the standard table, two armchairs, and sofa, so that the couch was facing the wall that had the doors to the bedroom on it, with the table in front of it, and a chair perpendicular to the sofa on each side. 

Anaka had been particularly nit-picky about where everything went. (“You have to  _ work  _ for surround sound, Master, a perfect setup doesn’t just  _ happen.”) _

She had then tried to very tactfully extract herself from the room, saying,

“Umm- ahh, well… I should, ah, go get my stuff from me old quarters before they throw it out- so, uh- yeah. I’ll be back!” And with that, she all but ran out of the room. Ahsoka turned back to Obi-Wan, smiling sheepishly.  _ Is this what second-hand embarrassment feels like?  _

“So… wanna help me with my room?” Obi-Wan got a look a little too knowing in his eyes, but merely bent down to pick up the boxes he had labeled ‘bedroom.’ “Aww, Master, you labeled the boxes and everything?” She refused to think about what it meant- that this was really happening, and that after seven years- well. Seven years was a long time. 

_ That even after she was knighted- (knighted so early, after only seven years of training) she didn’t move out of their quarters. There just wasn’t time.  _

They walked into the bigger bedroom that Ahsoka was most definitely having. Obi-Wan went to move the bed snug into the corner of the wall, close to the window. It was always how she preferred sleeping. He didn’t even have to ask.

They worked in tandem, Obi-Wan putting up the shelves and placing this holobook here and that holopad there, and Ahsoka hung her robes and folded her leggings on the shelf in the closet. She got out the case she had for her headdresses, and Obi-Wan made the bed for her how she liked it. 

She was fine.  _ Fine.  _ She could get through this, she could accept this. It didn’t stop the pang in her heart that instead of her comforter spread out on the bed, it was Obi-Wan’s. She looked at him, tears already gathering in the corners of her eyes.

“I know that you preferred my blanket.” He offered as an explanation, and this time, she couldn’t stop the waterworks, flinging herself into his arms. 

He caught her, like he always did, back even when she was small and still getting used to the idea that she  _ wasn’t  _ being sent to the Argicrops, because she was so sure that she would be. 

(She didn’t know Masters were lining up at the bat to take her as their Padawan.) 

He rubbed circles on the small of her back, and placed his chin in the dip in her Montrals, beard tickling the sensitive skin. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling impossibly small. 

_ “Master!”  _ She gasped out, the word catching in her throat as she clung to him. “Master- Obi, I’m not  _ ready,  _ I can’t do this-  _ I’ll screw it up-  _ and- and-” He gently took her face in his hands, wiping away the tears that had fallen down her face, gently tracing a facial marking as he went. He let his arms wrap around her, and she buried her face in shoulder.

“‘Soka, what are you worried about? You’re going to be a wonderful teacher. I’ve seen the way Anaka looks at you- Ahsoka, she adores you. She admires you, and looks up to you. You’re going to be the perfect teacher for that girl. Ahsoka, you  _ are  _ ready. And if you ever feel like you’re not, I'll be there for you every step of the way.” 

She let herself slump against Obi-Wan, releasing all of the anxiety she felt into the force. She also let her gratitude, and appreciation flow through, and she knew Obi-Wan felt it, because he ‘hmmd’ slightly, and wrapped his arms tighter around them. 

**_Taungsday (Anaka):_ **

That was how Anaka found them thirty minutes later, when she finally lugged all of her boxes back from the initiatives quarters. 

She smiled as she saw how Obi-Wan had wrapped his arms around her Master, how they were both gently slumbering, looking entirely at peace.  _ Good. Force knows they needed this. _

That didn’t stop her from taking a picture, though. Obi-Wan  _ did  _ drool. And Ahsoka was clutching him like he was a teddy bear. Yeah. This would definitely be one of her favorites. 

**_Zhellday (Ahsoka):_ **

“Master. Master.  _ Master.”  _ Ahsoka finally gave in with an exasperated,

“ _ What _ ?” She turned over to where Anaka was decked out in her usual outfit, the one Ahsoka had first seen her in.  _ Force, that seems like so long ago.  _

She had attempted to do something nice with her hair before they left, but ended up admitting defeat, and pulling it back into a bun without even looking, a skill she seemed to have perfected. 

Besides, where they were going, someone could do her hair for her. She was drumming her fingers along the side of the speeder, looking completely and utterly bored.

Ahsoka knew that she could never trust her Padawan to drive a speeder again, not after the  _ second taser incident,  _ which will also go forever unnamed as long as they both are alive.

“Can you  _ please  _ tell me where we’re going?” Force, she wasn’t this insufferable as a Padawan, was she?

“Nope!” She said cheerfully, popping the ‘p,’ just because she knew it would annoy Anaka. Her apprentice groaned, and buried her face in her hands. “Trust me- you’ll enjoy it.” Anaka, decided to be particularly insufferable, did an awful, high-pitched mockery of Ahsoka’s voice.

“ _ Trust me, you’ll enjoy it!”  _ Ahsoka glared. And then promptly had to swerve widely to avoid hitting the speeder in front of them. Anaka looked entirely too smug. “Master?” She asked, tentatively? Ahsoka all but lost it.

“ _ What?!”  _ Anaka gave her that little shit-eating grin she knew she wore too well. 

“Can I turn on the radio?” Ahsoka could feel her eye twitching, and the veil on the right side of her neck throbbing.  _ Do I even have a vein in my neck? I've been spending  _ way  _ too much time around humans.  _

“ _ Yes.”  _ She managed to bite out. “By all means,  _ turn on the radio.”  _ Anaka beamed at her again, before turning the radio dial to the station labeled, “Poprocks.” Ahsoka didn’t even want to know what a ‘poprock’ was. Was that even a thing?

Five minutes later, Ahsoka drove forward blankly, starstruck, as Anaka finished singing the song. She felt her mouth go dry.

“What- umm, what song was that?” Anaka’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, that was ‘Two Princes,” by the Spin Doctors!  **(A/N: Because I’m taking some creative liberties and saying that speeders have radios, and that the radio stations are the same ones as the ones in my cars, and they play the same songs by the bands that exist (or existed (RIP Beetles.)**

They’re one of my favourite bands, I really like their music.” Ahsoka had to put physical effort into making sure her jaw didn’t drop. Anaka’s voice- was  _ amazing.  _ It was crystal clear, and it carried, and it was beautiful. She could hold the notes for an amount of time that shouldn’t even be possible,  **{A/N:Think Idina Menzel (excuse me, Adele Dezeem (props to anyone who understood that reference!) from any Idina Menzel song.}** and she could hit every note, high and low- her voice  _ captured  _ Ahsoka, and it was incredible.

“That was- Anaka, you did hear yourself, right?” Anaka gave her a puzzled look.

“Umm, yeah. Why?” And the worst part was, she wasn’t being arrogant, or trying to be humble, or anything. She genuinely didn’t seem to know what Ahsoka was talking about.

“Your voice- you- Skygirl, you’re  _ amazing.”  _ Anaka flushed a deep red, and tucked a stray blonde lock behind her ear.

“I’m not _ that  _ good, Master.” The Togruta stared at her in disbelief.

“ _ Not that good.”  _ She murmured to herself. Oh, they were definitely resuming this conversation later. But for now, they had someone to meet. 

Ahsoka pulled up at the entrance of a familiar Senate-owned building. They made their way up the floor, Ahsoka scanning and scanning, until-  _ hah. And right on time!  _ She knocked on the door. It opened. She grinned down at her Padawan.

“Anaka, let me formally introduce you to one Padmé Amidala.”

**_Zhellday (Anaka):_ **

Anaka’s brain barely had time to register, “Wait, what?” before Padmé was ushering them inside, greeting them with a warm smile and a welcoming attitude. Ahsoka graced her with a smile effortlessly, and then with equal ease, proceeded to sit in one of the beautifully embroidered armchairs.

Anaka assumed she looked more like a gaping fish, particularly, one out of water. She sort of- just stood there, taking in the lavishly decorated apartment, modern and pristine and light and beautiful. 

“I- umm, ah… good afternoon, ah- your, uh- your senatorship?” Padmé gave a small laugh, beautiful soprano  **(A/N: Cause she’s a soprano, right?)** filling the room. 

“Just Padmé is fine. Come in, Ahsoka’s told me all about you.” Anaka shot Ahsoka a desperate look-  _ I don’t do politics? What is this for? Is it a test?  _ Ahsoka shook her head in amusement, and gestured to the armchair next to her. Anaka tripped as she made her over to sit down.

“So, umm…”  _ Oh sweet Force, I’m bad at this.  _ “Th- thank you, for what you- uh, for what you did, for ah- y’know, umm- with the, ah, Hutts. That was very- ah, brave, a- and umm, generous of you.” She shot a glare at Ahsoka who was barely concealing her laughter.  _ Thanks for the help, Master!  _ Padmé, thankfully, seemed to take it all in stride, brushing it off with a wave of her hand.

“Oh, it was nothing. It’s my duty as Senator to help in whatever way I can. And I wasn’t about to let one of my best friends be executed.”  _ Huh?  _

“So… you, ah, you two know each other?” Ahsoka and Padmé nodded.

“I was assigned to protect Padmé against an assassination attempt made towards her. We went back to Naboo, and we basically spent our time relaxing in a lake house while Obi-Wan was captured by Dooku.” Whatever she was expecting, it wasn’t this. Padmé laughed.

“Yes, that’s right, and the Ahsoka and I went to Geonosis to save him-”

“ _ Against  _ council orders.” Ahsoka added.

“That’s right- and then there was the whole debacle with the droid factory, and we were brought out to the Geonosian kill ring, and we had relayed the message Obi-Wan gave to Ahsoka to the Jedi council, and they came to give us backup.” Anaka gave out a breathless laugh.

Padmé and Ahsoka gave her puzzling looks. “What is it, Skygirl?” That was her breaking point. She laughed, loud and pure throughout the room, and the force. 

“You two- ah, oh force, oh my- you do realize you kind of started the Clone Wars, right?” Ahsoka and Padmé stared at her for a full three seconds. Then they burst out laughing. Ahsoka doubled over, wheezing so hard that Anaka had to pound her on the back. After that, the conversation flowed easy, light and fun and exactly what she needed.

Ahsoka brought up the topic of Padmé doing something to Anaka’s tooka-nest of a hair do, and Padmé had whisked them off to the bathroom, while Ahsoka looked over one of the holo magazines. 

In the safety of the bathroom, Anaka wasted no time flinging herself at Padmé, who caught her in a gentle hold, rubbing soothing hands up and down her arms. 

“I really missed you.” Anaka sniffled, burying her nose into Padmé’s Senatorial rode draped shoulder.

“I missed you too, Ani.” She heard her reply. When Qui-Gon had first been assigned to be Padmé’s escort back on her trip to Alderann, he probably hadn’t thought he and the Senator of Naboo would be stranded on a dust ball in the middle of nowhere called Tatooine. He probably also hadn’t expected to find a crying three year old tossed carelessly on the harsh ground outside of Jabba’s palace. 

“You looked so small, that first time I met you.” The former queen continued.  _ They had bonded instantly, like two sisters, and Anaka remained with Padmé for the entirety of the trip, and on the way back to Coruscant.  _

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” She sniffed. It was true. She hadn’t seen Padmé again, ever since they parted for the last time together as they walked their separate ways off the boarding ramp, a Maverik and a child off the temple, a Senator off to her work. 

“I know.” She could feel Padmé inhale, and hold her tighter, almost as if she’d disappear if she let go. “How about we do your hair?”  _ Conversation change, along with burying un-jedi-like feelings back down into the depths of my brain? You got it.  _

And when they came back an hour later, Anaka’s hair had blue streaks in it, and had been twisted into two braided buns on either side of her head.  **{A/N: Y’all (y’all? Guess I’m southern now) know what buns I’m talking about.}**

“Master!” She exclaimed brightly. “Did you know Padmé had permanent blue hair dye?” She gulped, and prepared herself for the scolding she knew she was about to get. Instead, Ahsoka grinned and said,

“Nice look, Skygirl! Now we match.” And they left it at that.

**_Benduday (Anaka):_ **

**(A/N: I could find like no ceremony about when a knight accepts their Padawan traditionally (Because Anakin and Ahsoka’s apprenticeships were anything but, so this is all from my brain, of how I think it would go. I made up the oath and everything. )**

She took a deep breath, and smoothed down the edges of her formal padawan robes.  _ Deep breath in. Deep breath out.  _ She stared back at her reflection. She barely recognized herself. 

She had twisted her hair into the best ponytail she could manage, leaving her Padawan braid to hang behind her ear, single blue bead adorning it. Ahsoka had given her a set of tan Jedi robes the night before. (“Why?” “It’s traditional, or something like that.”) She personally thought she would’ve looked better in black. 

She gulped, and grabbed her saber from where it was resting on her desktop. She clipped it to her belt, relaxing slightly at the familiar weight.  _ Fine, fine, it’s going to be fine.  _

But she couldn’t ignore the small, irrational nagging part of her mind that whispered,  _ Does she really want you, though?  _

And then there was the even smaller part of her mind that said,  _ Do you really want another Depur, Ekkreth? You’re supposed to be the Rain-Bringer. Is this the right choice?  _

She shoved those feelings into the back of her mind.  _ Not today.  _ She wanted this. She liked Ahsoka. She liked her snippy attitude, and her unorthodox commanding and unorthodox lightsaber grip. She liked her humor and smile and the way she practically radiated ‘good.’ 

She was ready for this. She stepped out of their quarters, and started to head in the direction of the council chambers.

She needed this. 

**_Benduday (Ahsoka):_ **

_ I’m not ready for this.  _ Was the only thought on her mind as she paced outside the council chambers, waiting for Anaka.  _ What if she doesn’t come? Maybe she doesn’t want me. What did I do wrong?  _

Because the worst part was, she had grown fond of the young human. She liked the quick wit, and the sass, and the defiance, and all of the little traits about her that not many others thought Anaka Skywalker was capable of having. She could sing. Like, really sing. She was vegan. She had reading glasses!

And Ahsoka wanted an apprentice. More specifically, she wanted  _ Anaka _ to be her apprentice. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she heard footsteps from around the corner of the hall, and Anaka turned the bend. 

“You ready for this, Master?”  _ She does want this.  _ Ahsoka swallowed her fears, and gave her a cheeky grin.

“After you, Skygirl.” They stepped into the council chambers. The room was pitch black. Even though she couldn’t see anything, she knew Anaka was about to open her mouth to ask a question. Then, a green light. Blue. Blue. Green. Purple. Green.  _ Obi-Wan’s blue.  _ Green. Blue. It was just like she’d remembered it from those seven years ago. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Anaka’s starstruck jaw drop.

“Masters, we are gathered here today for one reason, and one reason only.” Master Windu spoke, face glowing purple from the light of his saber. They stood in a semicircle in front of them.

“Knight Tano.” That was Obi-Wan he gave her a smile as she walked forward, and bowed on one knee in front of the council.

“Do you pledge to raise this Padawan to knighthood, and to suffer through all of the trials you may face in that time?” Mace’s voice seemed to echo around the chambers. She found herself repeating the mantra she had learned from a young age.

“I pledge myself to the Force, and it’s teachings. I swear to uphold the values of the Order, and teach those values to my Padawan, through trial and hardship.” The entire room, including Anaka, repeated,

“Through trial and hardship.” That was Ahsoka’s que to step back. 

“Padawan Skywalker.” Anaka visibly gulped. 

“Do you pledge to learn and prosper under the teachings of Knight Tano, and to suffer through all of the trails you may face in that time?” Anaka nodded from where she knelt in front of the masters.

“I pledge myself to the Force, and it’s teachings. I swear to uphold the values of the Order, and learn those values from my Master, through trial and hardship.”

“Through trial and hardship.” Then, as per tradition, they all recited the code,

“There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is the harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.” Anaka stood up, and Ahsoka walked towards her, standing shoulder to shoulder with her almost-official Padawan. 

_ This is it. No turning back.  _ Anaka gripped her padawan braid with her left hand, as all the Padawan’s did. Ahsoka placed her hand over hers.

“I swear to protect.” She started.

“I swear to learn.” Anaka replied.

“I swear to acknowledge.” She continued.

“I swear to accept.” They locked eyes with each other.

“Through trial and hardship.” Ahsoka felt something prodding at the base of her shields. She grinned, and let the first fragile strands of their force bond weave together.

_ “Master?”  _ She felt Anaka’s voice in her head. She grinned.

_ “Hey, Skygirl.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Rising Malevolence
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


	5. Clashing and Obeying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not totally in love with this, but I think it's as good as it's gonna get, so here ya go!
> 
> Welp, here’s another chapter! I can’t thank you enough for the support- this story has hit over 900 hits (on AO3)! (That’s a lot for me, you should’ve seen me when I first hit 100.) And… you guys get Palp’s POV for this chapter. (Only a little bit, but still.) Anyway, thank you so much! All of the kind and positive support you’ve shown this story has really inspired me as an author. Without further ado, chapter five!

Anaka stood at Ahsoka’s side while her Master flipped on the switch that opened the holotransmittions. As the Kel Dor appeared in pixelated blue, Ahsoka stepped forward, speaking,

“ _ Koh-to-ya,  _ Master Plo.”  _ Oh, that’s right. Wasn’t Plo Koon that one that brought her to the temple?  _

_“Koh-to-ya, little ‘Soka.”_ _Little ‘Soka? Definitely better than Ani._ She crossed her arms, and fell into a comfortable stance.

“How’s the hunt for the secret weapon going, Master?” She hoped she hadn’t overstepped her boundaries. The little wave of approval Ahsoka sent over their bond reassured her, however. 

_ “We’ve tracked it to the Abregado system. We need reinforcements.”  _

“I’ll have to ask the council, Master Plo.” Anaka’s jaw dropped open.  _ What?  _ She turned to her, staring in shock. Ahsoka continued,

“I was given strict orders to protect our staging area, Master.” The transmission cut back and forth, the holoimage of Plo Koon wavering.

“Master Plo, what’s happen-” But she never got to finish her sentence before the transmission cut out. Anaka reached forward to try and fix it, but Ahsoka commented,

“It’s no use. If the Seppie’s are jamming our transmissions, there’s nothing you can do.” Anaka sighed, and turned around to follow her Master, who was heading off the bridge.

“You heard Master Plo. He needs our help. We’ve got to go and support him.” As she walked beside the Togruta, her hair swung back and forth in its ponytail, and she absentmindedly reached out to tuck her padawan braid (which she had left outside her hairdo) behind her ear. 

“We have to see what the Council decides first.” She crossed her arms behind her back, looking every bit the revered General she was. “This is an important meeting, Anaka. Remember, be mindful and speak only when spoken to.” She sighed, exasperated. She turned to look up at the knight.

“Don’t I always.” She turned her head downcast. Ahsoka gave her one more look, before the automatic doors slid up, and they walked into the holocall room, where Mace was addressing them on the weapon they were currently hunting down. 

_ “This mystery weapon has struck in a dozen systems, and disappeared without a trace.”  _ Palpatine, Obi-Wan, and Yoda stood on either side of him. 

_ “We cannot afford to lose any more ships, my friends.” _ Anaka didn’t know why, but she felt… strange about the chancellor. He had invited her to his office a few rotations before, but she had respectfully declined, since they were about to be deployed. Something seemed… off, about the man. And what could he possibly want with her?  _ “Ah, Master Tano, Padawan Skywalker. Have you had any success in finding General Grievous’s secret weapon?” _

Ahsoka stepped forward, and pressed a button on the underside of the table to bring up a hologram.

“Master Plo was here in the Abregado system when we lost contact.” She went on to explain the situation more while Anaka tried her best to look attentive and awake. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to stay up all night watching holovids on the holopad her master didn’t know she had. Ahsoka concluded with, 

“And we have had no further contact with General Plo Koon. The absence of distress beacons indicates that his fleet was…” She paused, swallowing, and getting a hard look in her eyes. She bowed her head for a minute, refusing to look at anyone, including Anaka. “That his fleet was destroyed, like the others. We are about to prepare a rescue mission.” Palpatine spoke up.  _ What could he possibly have in opposition to that? _

_ “Hasn’t Clone intelligence reported this weapon never leaves any survivors?” _

_ “The Separatists are being unusually tidy.” _ That was Obi-Wan. Ahsoka squeezed her eyes closed for a second, and Anaka sent a wave of sympathy over their bond.  _ Doesn’t he care?  _ She thought, with a wave of anger.  _ “They don’t want any witnesses.” _ Yoda decided to chime his two credits in.

_“Tragic are these losses, but prevent more we must.”_ _Can’t any of you sleemos see she’s in mourning? You basically just told her that the person who brought her to the temple is dead._ She reached out, and squeezed her Master’s hand. Ahsoka squeezed hers basic thankfully. 

***

_ “All our battle groups will be reassigned to guard our supply convoys, including yours, Tano.”  _ She tried to keep her focus on what Windu was saying.  _ Please don’t let him be dead. Please don’t let him be dead.  _ “I’m afraid we can’t risk any more ships with a rescue mission.” Ahsoka felt her heart sink. 

“Wait!” Anaka exclaimed, stepping forward. She continued before Ahsoka could stop her. “Just because there haven’t been any survivors before doesn't mean there won’t be any this time!” She gestured with her arms, desperate to convey her point.  _ Bless her and her big heart, but this is not the time.  _ The Togruta acknowledged sadly. 

_ “Bodly spoken, for one so young.”  _ Ahsoka arched a facial marking.  _ What does the chancellor want with my Padawan?  _ Anaka stepped back a bit, not scared or ashamed, but confused. Thankfully, her former Master came to the rescue,

“ _ She is learning from Ahsoka.”  _ Ahsoka swallowed again.

“Excuse my padawan.” She said, throat dry, and voice lacking any emotion. She saw Anaka hang her head. “We will deploy as you have instructed, master.” The holotransmittion cut out. Anaka sighed in frustration, and started walking away. Just then had Ahsoka realize the full extent of what Anaka had been saying.  _ Oh, she didn’t-  _ Her anger came like a raging storm, all consuming and glaringly obvious.

“ _ Anaka!”  _ Anaka turned around, defiance in her bright blue eyes. She jutted out her chin confidently. 

“If anyone could survive, Master Plo could! You of all people should have more faith in him! I don’t understand why-” Ahsoka lost it.

“What  _ you  _ don’t understand is Jedi protocol! Or you place, my very young Padawan.” She glared at him, hard gaze resting on blue optics.  _ I understand, more than you can know, Skygirl. But you need to start learning that you’re not on top. You don’t always get to set the rules.  _

The automatic doors slid open, and Ahsoka changed her demeanor and voice. 

“Admiral! We’ll split up our ships to maximize our defense area. I’ll scout ahead for enemy activity.” Yularen narrowed his eyes questioningly. 

“Isn’t that risky, with the mystery weapon out there?” 

“Not with me piloting.” Anaka spoke up, from where she had retreated a few steps back. “I’m the best pilot on this ship, I could do it.”  _ Yay! Arrogance too. What else am I going to have to deal with in the apprenticeship? _

“Absolutely not.  _ Anaka,  _ you  _ will  _ stay on this ship, and we will discuss your actions and their consequences later. Admiral, I know it might be, but I know you won’t argue with my orders.” She directed this last part at Anaka. In a slightly softer tone, she added, “Come along, Anaka.”

She could feel Anaka’s anger spiraling out of control over their force bond. She could feel her own concern for Master Plo.  _ Sweet Force.  _ It was going to be a long mission. 

***

Ahsoka wasn’t sure how it happened. She knew that she had explicitly told Anaka she would not be leaving the ship, let alone piloting. Yet here they were, on the  _ Twilight,  _ with Anaka flying. Again.

“Set those new coordinates, R2?” Ahsoka called out softly. R2 beeped an affirmative. Anaka gave a nod to show she heard him, keeping her eyes fixated on the view in front of them. Ahsoka sat, waiting. She knew she had to let Anaka speak up first. 

She desperately wanted to forgive the girl, and move on as quickly as they could, but if she didn’t start now, Anaka might never learn. Eventually, the human started to talk.

“Master…” She started, biting her lip. “I- I should tell you why I spoke up before.”  _ Nope. Not ready for this.  _ She cut Anaka off.

“You don’t have to explain anything.” Anaka sighed, and at one of R2’s beeps, reached up her hands to input something on the overhead controls. She pushed forward the lever, and they jumped into hyperspace. Ahsoka took the familiar wiring as silence enough. 

***

They jumped out of hyperspace with a small jolt. Anaka tried to keep her face neutral, devoid of any emotion. Ahsoka had taken to sitting in the other chair, manning the controls while the blonde piloted.  _ Why won’t she just let me explain myself?!  _

“You’re projecting.” Ahsoka murmured gently.

“What?” Anaka asked.

“Projecting. Through the Force. I can feel it, plain as day.”  _ So, that’s the way it’s gonna be, huh. _

“Right. Thanks. Shielding. Gotta work on that.” She rambled awkwardly, trying to find a way to worm out of the conversation. R2 beeped, and Anaka dully responded,

“R2, set up the scanner. Modulate for incoming… mystery weapon.”  _ If she would just let me explain myself, maybe…  _

“No.” Ahsoka counter-attacked. “R2, tune the scanners for life-forms. Highest sensitivity.” Anaka turned to her, puzzled.

“Why would we scan for life-forms to spot an enemy weapon, probably just filled with… battle… droids…” Her question cut off as she realized exactly where they were flying.  _ So that’s why she wanted R2 to set the coordinates, not me.  _

“The Abregado system. Master...? Huh.” Ahsoka gave her a smirk from where she went to sit in the co-pilot's seat. “So it’s okay when you don’t follow what the Council says.” Ahsoka’s gaze hardened as she looked ahead.

“Doing what the Council says is one thing. How we go about doing it, that’s another. That’s what I’m trying to teach you, my young Padawan. You just have to listen.” Brushing off the last part, Anaka questioned,

“So you always meant to come out here for survivors?” She gave her a ‘well, duh’ look.

“Lives are at stake, Anaka. I can’t turn my backs on them. It’s my duty, not just as a Jedi, but a person.”  _ Hey!  _ She told her Master as much.

“That’s what I said, back in the briefing room!” Ahsoka was quick to placate her.

“I know, but the way you said it was wrong.” Anaka turned her eyes downcast, for a moment, before focusing on the broken field of rubble floating in front of them. Ahsoka turned on the illuminator. 

“We haven’t got much time before the fleet misses us.” She commented, feeling much lighter than she had thirty minutes ago. 

***

Ahsoka glared at the control pad in frustration. 

“The scanners are practically useless. Got anything on the emergency channel, R2?” The little droid beeped, and turned back to his control panel to try and tune into the requested channel. Anaka flew tem through the field full of broken ship parts, illuminator shining off the trashed metal. She sighed, and prepared for the conversation she had to have with Anaka.  _ He’s going to be alive, he has to be alive. _

“Now, Anaka, we might find something you don’t want to find.” Something seemed to snap in the blonde, and it pulsed through the force.

“I know! But if we don’t believe, if we don’t keep trying, and they are still alive, and we left them- that’s on us.” Anaka shifted her hands on the piloting stick. “How do you.. Um, know Master Plo? He brought you to the temple, right?”

Ahsoka sighed.  _ Don’t think about it, don’t think about it- and  _ no,  _ this is not attachment.  _

“He’s one of my oldest friends. You’re right- it was Master Plo Koon who found me and brought me to the temple where I belonged.” Something about that sentence made Anaka press her shields up tighter, but she couldn’t figure out what. “And now he’s lost.” 

“So maybe we can find him.” Anaka tried to encourage. Ahsoka looked at her, trying to express her-  _ gratitude? Hopefulness? Desperation?-  _ in her eyes. R2 beeped, Anaka translated. 

“Incoming transmission, master.” Ahsoka sighed.

“Guess someone noticed we’re gone.” The holoimage of Obi-Wan came up.

_ “Ahsoka, where are you?”  _ Her former master sounded exasperated, and way too resigned as he crossed his arms. 

“Oh, hi, Master. We, uh, made a quick stop in the Abregado system.” The holographic Obi-Wan sighed.

_ “A rescue mission, I suppose. You had other orders.”  _ Anaka leaned forward from where she sat in the pilots seat.

“It was my idea, Master Kenobi.” And  _ oh,  _ definitely to resigned.

_ “Oh, I’m sure.” _ He turned his attention back to Ahsoka.  _ “Well, have you found any survivors?”  _ She bowed her head briefly.

“No. You were right. The Separatists don’t want any witnesses.” She took a deep breath, and let acceptance settle into her bones.  _ He’s passed onto the Force by now. I’ll rejoice.  _ Obi-Wan’s gaze softened minisculely in sympathy, before harding again.

_ “All the more reason for you to rejoin the defensive escorts. We need you, Ahsoka. You’re going to miss the rendezvous with the fleet if you. Don’t Hurry.”  _ She nodded, feeling- lighter, now that she had accepted what must have happened.

“I know, Master. We’re on our way.” It was one of her biggest strengths, she knew- that she cared so deeply, yet still harbored the action of letting go. Anaka, apparently, did not possess that skill. 

“Master-” Ahsoka sighed, and for a moment, regret pooled in her stomach. 

“I’m sorry, Anaka. R2, put in the coordinates for the rendezvous point.” Anaka sighed, and looked at Ahsoka.

“You should- um- you should pilot, Master. If I’m piloting-” The unfinished,  _ we won’t be going back yet,  _ was left unsaid. Wordlessly, they switched places, and Ahsoka pressed the controls forward.

***

They had just rounded another hunk of metal when R2 though he got someone on the emergency channel. She told Ahsoka as much. 

“Can you trace it?” She asked, hope drumming through her veins.  _ Maybe my speaking out was a good thing.  _ R2 beeped excitedly. “Let’s get going!” She declared. They pressed forward, Anaka taking to humming a song lightly under her breath. She didn’t remember what it was called, something like, a god’s name, or something like that. 

_ “And I don’t want the world to see me,”  _ She mumbled, trying to make it quite enough that Ahsoka’s exemplary senses wouldn’t pick it up.

“Are we still getting that signal?” Ahsoka asked, keeping her eyes trained on the debris ahead of them.  _ She needs to move her hands down more, she’ll have better control when they’re at the base of the joystick, and easier maneuverability-  _ nope. She definitely wasn’t criticizing her Master’s piloting. Not at all. 

“Yes… but Master, why are we not finding anything?” She could hear the Togruta sigh.

“I don’t know, Anaka.”  _ Well, isn’t that helpful.  _ “I don’t know.” They continued their flight, everything inside the ship taking on a weird reddish orange colour, due to the large star/planet thing in front of them. She pressed on the communications button.

“Is anyone out there? This is Anaka Skywalker. Can anyone hear me?” She spoke calmly, deliberately and clearly, the absolute opposite of how she felt inside.  _ Please don’t let them be dead. Please don’t let them be dead. We can’t be too late.  _ “Is there anyone out there? Come in. This is Anaka Skywalker. Is there anyone out there? Come in.” She repeated it over and over, careful not to let the desperation seep through her voice. 

She turned around. “R2, see if you can boost the reception.” R2 beeped. “Try converting some of the emergency reserves into fuel, if that’s what it takes.” Ahsoka pursed her lips, but said nothing. R2 beeped a negative. 

“Ugh!” Ahsoka chastised her,

“Patience. See if you can boost the power. Hang on.” 

***

Ahsoka didn’t even try to bother her shock, he knew, when she saw him appear through the holo transmitter.  _ No, Anaka will be a much better apprentice under me than her.  _ He had spoken to the Togruta a few times before, out of respect (fake respect, but necessary all the same.) No. What he needed to do was establish a relationship with Anaka. If he could just plant that one seed of doubt in her mind, it would make his job much easier.

“Master Tano, Padawan Skywalker, I regret to inform you that I just had a conversation with the Council, where Master Kenobi informed them of your… detour. They are quite furious. Why, my dear girls, have you left your post.” A look of distrust came over Ahsoka’s face, but she hid it, quickly. Anaka didn’t look distrustful, only- confused. If the Knight had any qualms speaking with him, she did hide it rather well. 

“I decided we couldn’t just give up on Master Plo Koon.”  _ Ah, so she has attachments, too. Excellent.  _

“A noble gesture, Knight Tano. But the Council feels your daring may put others in danger.” The Togruta hid it well, but Skywalker… her anger, and annoyance spiked loudly in the force, and she didn’t even bother to try and conceal it.  _ Yet another advantage.  _

“Please listen to me, Master Tano. Return at once.” He could see the Togruta grit her sharp canines, but he knew she was aware of the consequences if she denied his request (which was really a command.) 

“Yes, Excellency.” The holocall cut off. He knew it would take time for Anaka to trust him. Him and only him. He knew that his plans would take time to execute. After all, the Clone Wars had only begun. He had so much more in store. 

He knew he needed to break Anaka. Well, he wouldn’t break her. But the others- the others he commanded to- would break her. And he would be there, waiting with open arms when that happened. He knew the girl already felt she was destined for more than the Jedi. He knew she was quick to anger, and her pride could-  _ and would-  _ be her fall. But she didn’t want power. That was an issue. An issue he knew he would be sure to solve.

_ If only you could see me now, Master. See how much more powerful I am than you. How much stronger.  _ He knew it would take time. But he was willing to wait. 

***

Anaka narrowed her eyes after the call with the Chancellor.  _ He- he-  _ she couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was- off. She narrowed her eyes in concentration, for a second, something flashing, darkly. Then her eyes widened.

“Time to go, Anaka.” Ahsoka reminded her gently.  _ How did she not feel it?  _ She turned around, and looked at her determinedly.

“We have to stay.” Ahsoka leaned back her friend, giving a small, hysterical laugh.

“Anaka, I want to believe Master Plo’s alive, but I can’t refuse an order from the chancellor, and I just-” She cut her off.  _ Screw the Chancellor right now.  _

“I know he’s alive! Can’t you feel it? I can sense it.” And she grabbed to co-pilots controls (because she had worked on taking off the child’s lock-  _ because a  _ freighter  _ had a child’s look, really?-)  _ and yanked the ship to the side. 

“Anaka!” Ahsoka yelled, and R2 screamed as she made a sharp U-turn. Ahsoka yanked on the control’s, to no avail. (Okay, so she maybe had reversed the child’s lock.) 

“There they are!” She called, pointing to the pod where Master Plo and two clones cloud to the top. Ahsoka leaped up, and went to prepare the tow cable, while Anaka fiddled with the controls, saying, “Tow cable is ready.” Ahsoka responded,

“Tow cable loaded.” Anaka opened the small hanger door, and the tow cable attached itself to the pod, and reeled them in. Anaka raced forward, leaping out of the door that connected the cockpit to the hanger. The two clones on top slid off, and landed with a groan.

“Come on, hurry!” They ran forward. Anaka went over to the troopers, while Ahsoka went over to Master Plo Koon. She could her the Togruta ask,

“Are you okay, Master Plo?” Then, “Anaka, there’s still someone in the pod!” Anaka used the Force to push the cracked glass plane away, and she stepped forward to put the trooper's arm around her shoulder. She had to fully support his weight, and gently sank down to rest him against the side of the pod with the other troopers.

“Will they be alright?” She desperately asked the medical droid, who was walking at an agonizingly slow pace over to them. 

“Pressure suits offer some protection,” The low, robotic voice spoke. “But they require a medical frigate for recovery. I will stabilize them, sir.” The droid spoke, from where it crouched down to examine the trooper Anaka had helped out of the pod. She walked over to Master Plo, where Ahsoka was assuring him,

“You’re men are safe now.” The Kel Dor Master struggled to sit up, baritone voice croaking as he asked,

“Tell me, were there any survivors?” Anaka lowered her eyes, leaving Ahsoka to answer,

“We… couldn’t find any others, Master.” Plo Koon’s voice hardened.

“The hunters must have destroyed the rest.” Anaka spoke, her voice wavering slightly.

“I’m sorry, Master Plo.” Ahsoka nodded at her, before wrapping her arm around the Kel Dor, giving him a light squeeze. Master Plo took the Togruta’s hand in his own. 

They walked back to the cockpit, leaving the medical droid to take care of the clones. 

“We tracked the mystery weapon to this system.” Plo Koon supplied. “That is when we found out it was an ion cannon.” 

“An ion cannon?” Ahsoka asked.

“Kind of like an EMP.” Anaka supplied.  _ Good. It’s something mechanical.  _ She could work with this. 

“A weapon that neutralizes all power to our ships,”

“Leaving the targets defenseless.” Ahsoka finished grimly. They had wordlessly switched place, Anaka back in the Captain's seat, Ahsoka in the co-pilot's seat. 

“Masters, there’s a massive vessel approaching.” Plo Koon rushed forward, turning off all of the power.

“Shut down the power systems before they can detect us.” Ahsoka raced to help, while Anaka kept a steady hand on the control stick, before they slowed to a stop. R2 beeped. Plo Koon gasped,

“The droid!” Anaka rushed out of her seat, pressing R2’s power controls. He beeped questioningly. She grimaced.

“Sorry buddy.” She mumbled, before he shut down. Wasting no time, she ran back to her seat, trying not to fidget, and failing desperately, pulling her hair out of the ponytail and running her fingers through it, in an attempt to calm herself. She shrunk into a little ball and the Seperatist cruiser-crusher flew over their heads. She could, however, marvel at the technology.

“That is one big crusher-cruiser.” She breathed out, taking in the enormous size of the ship. 

“They’re coming back.” Ahsoka said in a sing-song voice. Plo Koon reeled back slightly in shock.

“Are all the systems shut down?” He asked. Of course, that’s when the medical droid stepped into the cockpit.

“Is there a problem, sir?” Anaka groaned, and let her head hit the dashboard. In her version of a sing-song voice, just to mock her Master, she commented,

“We forgot to turn off the medical droid.” Then, in a smaller voice, she added, “Master? What do we do.” Ahsoka turned her full body to look at her.

“Do your thing. Master Plo, just for this once, can you do exactly what Anaka says without questioning it?” The Kel Dor didn’t say anything, just nodded, once.

“We’ve got to get the power back on now.” She commanded, forcing the fear and doubt down. The medical droid spoke again.

“Can I be of assistance?”  _ Ugh!  _ That wasn’t what she needed right now.

“No. Thanks.” She bit out, trying to keep her frustration in check. She continued, “Just get in the back and take care of the clones.” He pressed the last button, and the ship powered up.

“That is my programming, sir.”  _ Oh.  _ Oh, she was  _ done.  _

“Come on, we’ve gotta get out of here.” Ahsoka spoke, as she took the co-pilots controls in her hands.

“I know, I know.” She muttered. The thrusters powered on, and they were off. She pressed down on the joystick, huffing when her hair flew in her eyes.  _ Faster, faster.  _

They flew through the debris, Anaka’s death-grip on the controls growing tighter with every passing second. 

“R2, program the navi-computer. Be ready to get us out of here.” 

“Anaka, we turned him off, remember?”  _ Kark.  _ Thankfully, Plo walked back and turned on the astromech.

_ “Koh-to-yah,  _ droid.” 

“He’s not just a droid.” Anaka spoke out, on reflex. Ahsoka turned to her, exasperated.

“Really? Now? And what did we just talk about? Knowing your place, remember!”  _ Oops. Oh yeah, right.  _

“Sorry, habit!” She responded, but no one was paying attention.  _ Come on, come on.  _

“R2, program the hyperdrive!” Ahsoka commanded. R2 beeped questioningly. 

“Anywhere! Hurry!” Anaka called back, narrowing her eyes in concentration. She could feel, in the force, and see the purplish light everything was turning.  _ Seppie version of an EMP. It’s okay. I got this.  _ She turned left and right, twisting under and sideways and maneuvering in ways that no one but a top-class pilot could do. 

It was getting closer and closer. 

“Skygirl…” Ahsoka started, worry filling the end of her sentence. Anaka furrowed her brow.  _ Just a little more. A little further.  _

“R2, emergency power reserves. Now!” With a jolt, they speed forward, but it wasn’t enough. The circle of purple lightning seemed to follow them, growing larger and larger as they flew past broken rubble. As soon as they were out of the field, Ahsoka spoke,

“We’re clear.” They jumped into hyperspace just as the ion blast would’ve hit them. Anaka let go of the controls, and fell back into her seat with a sigh of relief. 

“R2, set coordinates for the rendezvous point.” She mumbled, exhaustion catching up with her. 

“Good flying, Padawan.” Was that Master Plo?

“Thanks, Master Plo.” She murmured, fighting the urge to close her eyes. 

“You did good, Skygirl.” She was about to respond, but whatever she started to say had been swallowed up by the yawn that escaped her lips. Ahsoka chuckled. Anaka was too tired to care.

“Mast’r?” She asked, voice slurred by exhaustion. “In-” Yawn. “In my ‘ag is my cloak. Coil’ ‘ou get it ‘or me?” She heard some ruffling, as Ahsoka found the knapsack she had stowed on board. She snatched the cloak out of it.

“This is my cloak, you know.” Anaka pretended to be too asleep to hear her. She knew Ahsoka didn’t buy it. She also knew Ahsoka didn’t mind. She felt the soft fabric being draped over her shoulders, smelling grass, warm spices, fresh rain and something very distinctly  _ Ahsoka.  _ She fell asleep with that comforting thought.

***

Ahsoka glanced at the gently sleeping form of Anaka, gently rearranging the cloak so it would cover all of the blonde. She turned around to see Plo Koon watching with what must have been an amused expression on his face. 

“Is everything alright, Master?” She asked, standing back up to her whole height. She walked over to Plo Koon.

“You care for her very much.” He noted, walking alongside her as they made their way into the medical bay, where the droids were. She looked up at him, a confused expression on her face.

“Of course. She’s my Padawan.” She sensed the Jedi Master was not completely satisfied with her answer, but he did not press the topic. Instead, he simply said,

“Come along, Little ‘Soka. Let us visit the clones.”

***

As soon as they exited the _Twilight_ , Anaka rushed forward to fix something on R2, the little astromech waiting dutifully at the base of the ramp. 

“Thanks for getting us out in one piece, General Tano.” Commander Wolffe thanked her as they exited the ship, onto the hanger in one of the cruisers in Anakin’s fleet. 

“You have my Padawan to thank for that.” She smiled back at him. Anaka looked up from where she was fiddling with R2. “She always said you’d pull through.” She could feel Plo Koon’s force signature behind them. The commander smiled gratefully at Anaka.

“General Plo said someone would come for us. We’re glad he was right.” The Kel Dor came to a stop at his Commander’s soldier. 

“Knight Tano, it is time to give our report to the Council.” Plo Koon reminded her.  _ Knight Tano. Guess I’m in some deep water.  _

“Right… the council report.” She dragged out the sentence. Anaka hung her head back from where she stood next to R2. “Come on, Anaka.” She called. Anaka looked up, confused. 

“You… want me there? I mean, I figured that because of before-” 

“Anaka.” She cut her off. “Through it all, you never gave up. You did a great job.” She could see Anaka’s expression warm with the praise. “But, if I’m getting in trouble for this, you’re gonna share some of the blame too.” She gave a small chuckle. “So c’mon. Let’s go.” Behind her, Anaka smiled. She could hear her reply,

“Right beside you, Snips.” R2 beeped, and rolled to the Togruta’s side. Together, they walked, preparing to give the council it’s report. Ahsoka knew she and Anaka would have to sit down and talk about her actions later. 

She knew Anaka was much too independent for her own good. It was almost comical, she thought, about how much she was like Anaka when she was that age. And sweet force- did she almost feel  _ bad  _ for Obi-Wan? Nope, absolutely not. She could not have been this much of a menace. It simply wasn’t possible. Well, maybe.

And she knew that this wouldn’t be the last time she and Anaka- clashed. Was that the right word? They had very similar opinions- and that was half the problem. They would fight-  _ oh, would they fight-  _ but Ahsoka also knew they would pull through it.  _ Bleh. Okay self, enough heavy talk. _

For now, though, she was okay with just walking into the briefing room, giving another report, and receiving yet another mission. 

But if she got in trouble for this, and Anaka was let off the hook, oh  _ kriff  _ would she be mad. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Here's a little snippet of a new multi-chapter fic I'm working on (but the difference is that i'm gonna have it all written before I post it!) so tell me if you like it!  
> ***  
> “Anakin! Skyguy! What- what’s going on, we were there- and now we’re here-”
> 
> “Snips?” He asked, throat dry. They were- there, and she was leaving, with her new sabers, and Rex, and he was letting her, and then they were here-
> 
> “Master?” She said, and the dam broke. They moved as if one single being, clinging to each other desperately, clutching the other as if there was nothing left. Then Anakin looked down.
> 
> “Well, kark.” Ahsoka looked down too. Then they both promptly fainted. Because staring back at them were the faces of their fourteen year old and twenty year-old-self. Sweet force.  
> ***  
> I hope you enjoyed!


	6. Secrets and Nebulae

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so overdue and I’m so sorry! I have my reasons (which are really just excuses, I’m sorry!) and I’ll beg for your forgiveness in the bottom A/N. I really, really hope you enjoy!

“This strike force has been commissioned by the Senate to hunt down the enemy’s new battleship.” Anaka watched, disinterested, while Admiral Yularen stood in front and addressed the men. 

She leaned against one of the newly docked ships, arms crossed, while she surveyed the clones sitting in neat rows in front of the holoprojection R2 was making.  _ Hey. I never gave permission for him to be used like that! _

“As the bulk of our fleets are engaged on the front lines, we’ll be on our own.” Ahsoka and Plo Koon walked over from the side. “General Tano has prepared our attack strategy.” 

“Thanks, Admiral. Our capital ships will be vulnerable to the enemy’s attack, so I believe a squad of bombers should be able to out-maneuver their ion weapon.” 

_ “EMP.”  _ She muttered, under her breath. Thankfully, Ahsoka didn’t hear.

“Our target is the starboard ion cannon. And, if we can manage, General Grievous.” The clones started murmuring to themselves.

“Ha, the head clanker? Tano’s getting pretty ambitious.” She stood up straighter.  _ Don’t talk about her like that!  _

“Our bombers will attack at high speed to evade the enemy’s ion weapon. We’ll have to concentrate our firepower on the cannon’s superstructure, here.” R2’s holoprojection changed to accommodate where Ahsoka was pointing. “If we destroy the cannon, the Seppie’s major weapon will be lost. The ship won’t be defenseless, of course, but it should severely weaken them. Any questions?”

The clone that was talking about Ahsoka earlier stood up. Anaka twisted the end of her Padawan braid.  _ One wrong word, trooper.  _

“Just tell us where that metal-head is, sir.” She snorted, bringing up a hand to try and muffle the noise.  _ As if you could take him.  _ Obviously, this inspired the other troopers.  _ Huh.  _

“Yeah. We’ve been waiting for a chance to take him out.” They all started agreeing with the outspoken troopers.  _ I like those two.  _ Ahsoka chuckled slightly, but a smile was on her lips.

“Alright boys. Settle down. As much as I love the enthusiasm, this  _ is  _ an important mission. We destroy the ship, we manage to get Grievous, and this war ends a lot faster. Pilots, prepare your bombers.” R2 shut off the hologram, and the troopers filed out. 

“Ahsoka, this is a risky plan.” Plo Koon commented with what Anaka imagined must be a frown on his face. “Are you sure your squadron can complete this mission?”  _ Duh, Master Plo. They’re the 501st.  _ Thankfully, Ahsoka agreed.

“Let’s ask them. Matchstick!”  _ So that’s the name of that trooper.  _ “Think our boys can pull it off?” 

“Yes sir! There hasn’t been a mission Shadow Squadron couldn’t complete.” Cocky. Anaka liked the enthusiasm. 

“That’s right. Minimal casualties, maximum effectiveness. That’s us.” Plo Koon chuckled slightly.

“I admire your confidence, pilot. Even so,” He turned back to look at Ahsoka. “Minimal casualties may be enough to prevent you from breaking Grievous’ defenses.” Anaka raised an eyebrow.  _ Interesting. I’ve never seen them fight before.  _ She was disappointed. She liked Ahsoka’s plan. 

“You’re right, Master Plo. That’s why I’ll be going with them.” She nodded with Master Plo, and went to speak with Admiral Yularen.

“Master Tano seems to inspire great confidence in her men.” Anaka looked around. Who was he speaking to? He nodded in her direction.  _ Kark. So he did see me.  _ She wasn’t exactly- hiding, per se. She just didn’t really tell anyone she was there. She clasped her hands behind her back, and started wringing her wrists somewhat nervously. She walked over.

“She, uh, she does lead by example.” Plo Koon gave her what she assumed was a smile.

“I don’t bite, little one. Merely observe.” She hummed, but moved closer. 

***

“Which one’s for me, Master?” Anaka asked her, as they walked alongside the bomber ships. She grinned. 

“You’re with me. You’ll be my gunner.” She could feel Anak’s annoyance pulse through the force.  _ Right. Shieling. Gotta work on that.  _ She grinned at the exasperated expression on the human’s face.

“I need someone to watch my back!” Anaka rolled her eyes.

“Get Broadside to do it, then! Or get yourself an astromech, instead of using mine.” Ahsoka smirked.  _ Too much fun.  _

“But Anaka! Whatever will I do without your company?”  _ Just let me keep you safe!  _ Then Anaka narrowed her eyes.

“Just say it. I’m the better pilot, and you don’t wanna admit it!”  _ Oh yeah. There was that too.  _

“No!” She stuttered. “No… I, no. It’s not that. I-It’s just I-”  _ Smooth, Ahsoka.  _

“Tano, the enemy warship has attacked our convoy of medical transports near Ryndellia.” 

“Medical transports?!” Ahsoka gave her a look. Anaka looked as though someone had taken a bottle of soda, and shaken it up really hard and-

“That stupid karking motherfu-” Ahsoka hastily slammed a hand over Anaka’s mouth. After learning that Anaka’s second language was Huttese, her third being basic, she had learned some pretty cool- no, not cool, definitely not- words. That she used. Often. 

**_“Anaka.”_ ** She reprimanded over their force bond. The blonde wisely bit back a retort, and Ahsoka pulled her hand away. She shot an apologetic glance back at the General and Admiral, and gave Anaka a nudge over their bond to do the same. All she bit out was,

“Only a tin-faced  _ sleemo  _ like Grievous would go after troopers who can’t defend themselves.” The murderous look on her face didn’t quell.

“Ryndellia, you said?” She asked the Admiral. After getting his nod of confirmation, and eying Anaka carefully, she added, “That’s near Naboo. Wait- isn’t that that system where our medical base is?” Under her breath, Anaka muttered darkly,

“I’ll bet that’s his next target.” Plo Koon didn’t seem fazed by Anaka’s outburst.

“There are many star clusters in that area.” He said, evenly. “With a ship that big, he will be unable to chart a course that’s less than ten parsecs.” 

“I guess we’ll have to take a shortcut, then.” She said, letting her hands settle comfortably on her sabers. “Admiral, warm that staton of what’s coming.” Yularen nodded, and walked away to do his task.

“This journey may be treacherous. If you lose any ships before you reach the target, Little ‘Soka…” She bit back a groan.  _ Master Plo, you’re one of my best friends, but I can handle this.  _

“Don’t worry, Master Plo. We’ve got this.” The Kel Dor master nodded. 

“I will come along and fly fighter escort.” She smiled at him.

“I had a feeling you’d come along. Any help is welcome. Your ship’s already been prepped. Anaka, now.” She spoke to the sulking teenager who slumped against the side of the ladder. She rolled her eyes, but expertly climbed up the ladder up the Y-Wing nonetheless. 

***

_ “I hope you know what you’re doing, Ahsoka.”  _ Obi-Wan’s voice told her Master over the comm channel.

“Well, if I don’t-  _ and I do know what I’m doing-  _ I won’t be around to hear the ‘I told you so.’” She tried to keep the conversation light-hearted, but Anaka could tell what was really happening. Thus was the reality of war.

_ “That’s reassuring.” _ Obi-Wan snarked back. _ “Well, take your shortcut, and I’ll take the long way. But you’d better be there before I arrive.”  _

“I’ll be there, Master.” She ended the call. “Shadow Squadron, tighten formation. Call in.” She waited for the familiar checks.

_ “Shadow Two standing by.” _

_ “Shadow Three standing by.” _

_ “Shadow Four standing by.” _

R2 beeped, concerned, from where he was standing in his spot on the ship. Her hands tighten uncomfortably around the controls. 

“I know, R2.”  _ I hate manning the guns.  _ “It’s gonna be a tough one.”  _ Stupid, stupid, why can’t I fly? _

“Anaka, cut the chatter!”  _ Still peeved about my outburst, huh.  _ She heard Shadow Eleven and Twelve comm in, before Plo Koon’s starfighter-adorned with a hyperspace ring- made its way into the back of their formation. 

_ “Right escort ready.” _ His baritone sounded even deeper over the comm lines. She took a deep breath, before placing her hands on the joysticks again.  _ I’ve got this.  _

_ “This is Admiral Yuleran. You're cleared for hyperspace, sir.”  _

“Thanks, Admiral. Okay boys, you know the plan. Let’s get moving.” Ahsoka addressed the squadron. Anaka shot her a glance, before turning back to stare at the stars turned into streaks of white light. 

***

They came out of hyperspace in near perfect formation, the orange like of the nebula illuminating their faces.

“Okay. If we can just manage to get through my short cut, we should be good.” She pressed something into the ships controls, feeling an unusual sense of uneasiness- which only amplified when Master Plo reminded them,

_ “A nebula can be very unpredictable. I advise caution.”  _

_ “Don’t worry about us, Master Jedi.” _ One of her troopers reassured him. _ “We can hold our own. Right, Shadow Squadron?” _ The trooper who spoke was met with affirmatives from his squadmates. 

“Does anyone care what the Padawan thinks?” She could hear Anaka snark back. 

“Of course we care, Skygirl. But we’re still going through that Nebula.” R2 beeped, and Ahsoka was somewhat able to translate it to,

“Anakka’s right. You’re going about it all wrong.” Although, he also could have said, “Purple hats don’t fit on the roof. I want nine syrup waffles.” One or the other. 

“Thanks, R2.” Anaka said, resigned. “And when our ship explodes in a fiery supernova, my last  _ words  _ will be, ‘I told you so.’ I’ll be channeling my inner Master Kenobi and everything.” Ahsoka didn’t give her the satisfaction of a reply. 

***

_ “This soup is thick. Can you see anything?” _ One of the troopers asked. Anaka scowled from where she sat, manning the guns. Not that she needed to. And maybe… her master was going through the nebula the right way. Not that she’d ever admit it. But why couldn’t she fly?  _ Does she know how long I’ve wanted to pilot through a nebula?  _

“Just keep your eyes on my thruster, Shadow 2. We’re gonna be fine.” One of Anaka’s monsters beeped, and she bit back a curse.

“They’ll have to, Master. The scanners are useless. Can’t make out anything through these gases. Guess you’ll have to do old fashioned flying.” 

“Oh no, the dreaded old fashioned flying. Whatever will we do?” Anaka scowled at her Master’s sarcasm. “Don’t worry, Skygirl, I got this. You have to feel your way through, I know the drill.” 

_ “Master Tano is right, Padawan. Clear your mind, young one, and you will see the path.” _ Okay, so  _ maybe  _ Plo Koon was speaking from a reasonable point. But she was  _ done  _ at this point.

“Well right now, I can’t see anything.” She hoped Master Plo wouldn’t kill her for that statement. But she was “Little ‘Soka”’s padawan. That had to get her something, right? Broadside decided to jump in.

_ “I always know where I’m going. _ ” Another Shadow Squadron member replied, 

_ “Yeah? Where’s that, Broadside?”  _

_“I’m gonna blow up that battleship.”_ _Ooh, yay. Don’t care._ She drummed her fingers against the dashboard. _Why couldn’t I have just flown?_

_ “A clear path if ever there was one. _ ” The worst part was, she couldn’t tell if Plo Koon was being sarcastic or not. 

As they pressed forward,a thought crossed her mind.

“So, Snips, how  _ did  _ you come across this ‘shortcut?’” She hoped the air quotations were implied.

“It’s an old smuggler’s route.”  _ Okay…  _

“Smuggler’s route!? That  _ totally  _ makes me feel better. And you came across it  _ how,  _ exactly?” She turned around briefly, and shot her a smile. 

“You, actually.”  _ Huh?  _ She didn’t remember talking about anything like  _ this _ . “After Tatooine, I decided to brush up on my ‘wild child of the desert’ lingo.”  _ Oh.  _ Well, that made a pleasantly warm feeling pool in her chest. “Apparently it was a common thing for pilot’s to talk about, or so says holopedia. It’s called Balmorra Run.” 

_ “Balmorra Run?” _ The Kel Dor master asked across the comms. That’s when one of Anaka’s monitors started beeping.

“I’m picking up a contact.” She informed Ahsoka. Plo Koon’s voice came through again.

_ “Little ‘Soka, listen to me. We need to turn around.” _

“Master Plo, this is the only way to catch Grievous. We can’t.”

“Another contact.”  _ Not good.  _ “It’s a lot bigger too!”  _ Snips, I love a rebellious attitude, but for once, I think we should follow the rules!  _

_ “Tano, Balmorra’s the nesting ground of the giant neebray mantas.”  _ Anaka didn’t know what those were, but it didn’t sound good. 

“Another. Another!” She gasped as the gigantic creature came soaring towards them, too many eyes and a mouth full of pointed teeth, flapping it’s gigantic fleshy wings. 

“Take evasive action!” Ahsoka ordered. The fighters scattered around the creature, like bugs trying to avoid being squished by a foot. There were multiple of them, flying in some big swirling vortex, glowing eerily due to the nebula. 

“Those _tadiuapa dotkola_ **(A/N: Huttese for Nebula Creatures)** are huge!” She exclaimed. _Big, big, too big._

_ “Don’t shoot, or they’ll panic!” _ Plo Koon informed them.

“They’ll panic? I’m about to panic!” Then an evil, completely not-appropriate-for-the-current-situation though popped into her head. “I’m about to  _ panic-a,  _ get it?” 

“Not the time, Skygirl.” But she heard a few of the troopers chuckled over the commline, so maybe it wasn’t the worst pun ever.

_ “There are so many of them!” _ Matchstick exclaimed. He maneuvered his way around the giant creature. As He ducked underneath the giant wing, he skitted against one of the legs-  _ was it tentacles?  _ A spark lit across a damaged panel in the back of his Y-Wing.  _ “I’m hit!” _ He grunted.  _ “My stabilizer’s out!” _ The ship started wobbling, a plume of black smoke trailing out behind him.

“Come on, Matchstick.” Ahsoka gritted through closed teeth. Anaka gapped at her, (though she couldn’t see.)  _ Does she not care that the trooper might die?  _

“We have to help him!” She cried out.

“We can’t right now.” Ahsoka responded, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on- something.Thankfully, the smoke and flames faded away, resulting in nothing much more than a scratch. 

_ “I’m okay.” _ Anaka let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Another mantas flew above their head, followed by two others, flanking it. One of them roaded, making a strange, hollow sound.

“Those _kako_ **(A/N: Huttese for Fuckers.)** are gonna make a meal out of us!” She called to her Master. She looked around, scanning for an escape route. She could see nothing inside the nebula, just dust and orange gas. 

“All wings, in a line, behind me!” Ahsoka ordered. 

_ “Roger that, boss.”  _ Anaka heard someone reply. They fell into formation behind their Y-Wing. Ahsoka led them through the maze on large wings and pointed teeth.  _ Force, there were so many of them.  _

_ “Hurry! They will not follow us beyond the nebula.” _ One of the mantas’- ‘ _ mantasi’? ‘Mantasies’?-  _ let out a particularly loud roar. 

“That one looks like it wants a snack!” She exclaimed.  _ How am I the only one worried about this?  _

“Whatcha talking about, Skygirl? It’s just smiling at ya.” Though she appreciated it, Ahsoka’s attempts did nothing to quell the unease in her stomach.  _ And today, at this hour, Anaka Skywalker, age thirteen, died at the teeth of a Giant Neebray Mantas- who was supposedly smiling at her.  _ She could already see the flames of her funeral pyre. 

They ducked around another one’s ear-  _ was it an ear?-  _ before flying alongside another one’s tail, until  _ finally,  _ she could see the end of the nebula.

“We’re coming out.” She breathed, with a relieved smile. She fell back into her seat, letting her body slump. “I hope your shortcut paid off.” She glanced around the empty vacuum that she called home-  _ the stars.  _ If she never saw a nebula again, she’d be a very happy Padawan.

“We’re not that far behind Grievous now.” Ahsoka stated, looking confidently. Anaka nodded.  _ Good. _

***

They fell into formation without having to be told, Ahsoka noted, with a pleased smile. Even Anaka was gazing contentedly out of the window, and for a second, Ahsoka could almost pretend they weren’t at war- that she and Anaka were just another regular Master-Padawan duo, going on a mission issued by the council, to serve as diplomatic escorts for some high-class politician.  _ Wasn’t that a nice fantasy.  _

Plo Koon’s voice brought her out of her mini-haze. 

_ “Shadow 2, what is the damage to your ship?” _ Judging by Anaka’s slight fear in the force, the situation was not ideal. She desperately wanted to turn around, try to assist him- but this was all a stark reminder that they  _ were  _ at war. 

“Just a scratch, sir.” Matchstick replied. 

“We must not take any more unnecessary risks.” Plo Koon reminded them. “If we lose even a single ship, our mission is that much closer to failure.” Ahsoka jolted slightly when she felt Anaka’s shields clamp down. She gave them a small nudge with the force, but nothing. She briefly turned off the comms, asking,

“Padawan? What’s wrong?” Anaka replied through gritted teeth,

“Nothing.” Ahsoka gave her a glance that read: this conversation is not over. But she couldn’t focus on that. Not now. She turned the comms back on.

“Understood, Master Plo.” She responded. That’s when Anaka spoke up.

“But we  _ didn’t  _ lose any ships, and there wasn’t any-” Before Ahsoka could reprimand her, Matchstick spoke up.

_ “Sir, another contact.”  _

“I thought those things wouldn’t follow us.” Ahsoka said, furrowing her brow.

_ “Not following. Coming out of hyperspace. It’s a ship. It’s the  _ Malevolence.” 

“Mother fucker.” Ahsoka didn’t even reprimand her Padawan. They flew towards Grievous. 

***

She couldn’t help the gasp when the first medical transports were destroyed. It was loud- too loud, pounding in her head, and she could feel each scream, each cry in terror- a sob broke loose, and she could feel her shields slipping. Ahsoka turned around to look at her in hurried concern.

“Skygirl, what-”

“Don’t worry about me!” She gasped out, as more tears raced down her cheeks. “Fi-fighters incoming!” Her breath hitched.  _ Get it together, Skywalker.  _ The men’s death hit her like a ton of bricks, knocking the breath out of her lungs and resulting in this- a sobbing, whimpering mess. While in the middle of a battle. 

She placed a hand out on either arm, trying to get her breath under control. They moved forward, blaster shots raining in blue and red.

“Steady, come on. Hold it steady.” Anaka wasn’t sure if she was talking to her or the boys. “Anaka, I need those guns yesterday!” She took a deep breath, and grabbed the joysticks, taking aim, and firing. “Get those fighters off us.”

“I’m trying! Hold the ship steady!”  _ Oh,  _ she did  _ not  _ need this now. That’s when the Malevolence fired its ion cannon. The circle of purple electricity flew towards them.

“Incoming!” She screamed. 

“Get towards the edge of the ray now!” Ahsoka ordered, severing wildly to the side. “Give it everything you’ve got!” She yelled. Anaka clenched her jaw, before taking a long breath.  _ Okay, I’m good.  _ They flew upwards, desperately trying to avoid the ray shield.

“Shadow 2, your speed’s dropping. What wrong?” She asked, when Matchstick’s ship started slowing down. 

“Nothing sir. Just trying to keep it together!” Anak could feel his fear through the force. Evidently, so could Ahsoka. 

“You’ve got this, Matchstick. Hold on.” That’s when Anaka knew they weren’t going to make it. One of Matchstick’s stabilizers flared up, and he started spiraling down, towards Tag. That’s also when Anaka realized she wasn’t losing any more men today. 

She reached out with every part of her being. The force was no longer a guide, but a  _ tool.  _ She was in control. She commanded it. She reached out an arm, and with a yell- everything seemed to slow down. She panted, heavily. She focused on Matchstick’s stabilizer. She reached out, let the force wrap around it- and it stopped. Matchstick was dead in the air, but he was alive. 

The ion blast was slowly inching towards them. Nothing moved fast in right now. She was in control.  _ She wasn't losing anyone else.  _ With a scream that tore through her entire body, it disappeared. Power, pure power that couldn’t be stopped- disappeared. 

_ She was in control. _

Her last thought before she passed out was that  _ kriff, she was gonna hurt when she woke up.  _

***

Ahsoka had seen a lot of things in her nearly two decades worth of existence. But the pure, raw  _ power  _ that she felt admitting from Anaka- she was surprised she herself didn’t pass out. 

_ “Anaka!”  _ She screamed, watching as the girl’s figure slumped.  _ “Anaka, no-''  _ She reached out through the force- the force that was  _ screaming-  _ clutching onto Anaka’s force signature like a lifeline. She shifted her eyes around. The ion blast was- gone.  _ Did Anaka- how could she- _

Her voice felt heavy and fearful as she spoke.

“Shadow Squadron, check in.” She reached out through the force- past Anaka’s throbbing signature, past the wailing the force made, to check for her men's life form. There were- all of them?

_ “There were no losses.” _ Plo Koon informed them, his voice thick with something- Ahsoka assumed it was because of the immense power coming from Anaka’s direction. 

_ “Shadows 6, 7, and 10 were caught in the ray. I’m sorry Little ‘Soka, but we cannot continue this assault.” _ She growled.

“No. No, we’re finishing this.” With that, she flew forward, knowing the other’s would be following her.  _ Hang on, Anaka.  _

_ “Stay on course!”  _ Plo Koon commanded. 

“This flak is heavy.” She heard. She focused on dodging the red Separitist bolts, and the growing fear in the stomach. 

“All deflectors, double front. Now!” She yelled, determined to make this a win for the Republic.  _ Not this time, Grievous.  _ “Hang in there! Watch those towers, boys.” 

“We’re too tight! Loosen up.” One of the clones told his brothers. Not a second later, he was shot down.  _ Okay. Now. This needs to be done now. _

“Boys, fall back! New target: take out the port ion cannon instead! It’s less guarded!” They flew behind the cannon, positioning themselves between the cannon and the ship. “Torpedoes away!” She called, pressing the fire button. The bottom of the cannon started to fire up, slowly overheating. That’s when Grievous decided to fire it. 

It was strangely therapeutic to watch the cannon go up in an explosion and a sonic boom, she decided. 

_ “Good work, Shadow Squadron.”  _ Plo Koon congratulated. Flying straight to the medical center, Ahsoka could focus on her biggest concern.  _ Anaka.  _

She reached out in the force, and was relieved when she felt Anaka’s- albeit weaker than usual- force signature. She sighed.  _ Thank the force they were headed to a  _ medical  _ center.  _

She watched as three Republic cruisers dropped out of hyperspace. Her comm beeped.

_ “Ahsoka, do you copy?”  _ She sighed in relief.  _ Obi-Wan.  _

“I’m here, Master.”

_ “Congratulations. It looks like your mission was a success.” No. I don’t deserve that.  _

“Partially, but Grievous is still alive. The battle was too rough on my men. And Anaka’s hurt! We’re heading to the medical station now.” 

_ “We'll take it from here. But don’t worry, we’ll call if we need you. Take care of your Padawan.” _

“Will do, Obi-Wan.” The call cut off. She pulled into the hanger of the medical bay. She hurriedly grasped Anaka in her arms, carrying her bridal style down the ladder. She never noticed how light Anaka was before this.  _ Was she supposed to be this light?  _

Master Plo walked over to them, placing a gloved hand on Anaka’s forehead. 

“She was the reason for the- explosion, we felt in the force earlier.” It wasn’t phrased as a question. Ahsoka nodded, gently shifting Anaka in her arms, for the blonde’s face wasn’t being smushed into her left montral. “I will get you a medic.” She slowed her breathing down, trying to match Anaka’s slightly unsteady signature in the force.

Eventually, after what seemed like forever (but was only seconds later,) Plo Koon and a few clones came back, with a stretcher. They took Anaka from her arms, laying her down not as gently as Ahsoka would’ve liked on the stretcher. Her skin looked even tanner against the stark white. 

She tried to ignore the pounding in her chest.  _ It wasn’t an attachment. It wasn’t an attachment.  _ Just- concern. For her wellbeing. From one Jedi to another.  _ It wasn’t an attachment. _

_ It wasn’t an attachment.  _

***

She reluctantly left Anaka’s bedside when the Kamonian, Sele Na or something like that, wanted to see her. 

“I wanted to thank you for your service, Master Jedi.” Her light, willowy voice floated through the room. She didn’t like it. She would much have preferred Anaka’s voice, her neutral accent- except when she slipped into a Tatooinian one- a slightly melodic edge to it. 

It portrayed the emotion she was feeling so surely, so effortlessly- she could draw you in. It wasn’t hypnotizing. It wasn’t one of a diplomat- no. It was one of a  _ manipulator.  _ Anaka didn’t even realize it. But Ahsoka knew, one day, if she spent enough time with Obi-Wan, well. Another thought for another time.

“Thank you, madam.” She spoke, carefully, feeling her skin illuminate with the strange white light that seemed to follow Nela Sa, or whatever her name was, around. Her strangely empty voice spoke again.

“Do not take the lives you saved today lightly.” Ahsoka’s eyes closed, slightly.  _ Never.  _ She stared at the white figure, with huge, eerie eyes and too long a neck.

“I will not forget the lives I lost or endangered either.” She bowed, respectfully. “May the Force be with you.” She didn’t bother to see the expression on the Kamonian’s face as she walked out.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to, either.

***

She felt, before she saw, Ahsoka’s presence. She knew her Master was worried. She knew she had a lot of questions. She rapped the edge of the doorframe slightly, silently asking to be let in. Anaka forced a smile as well as she could, saying,

“C’mon Snips.” Then, to emphasize the point- and to make Ahsoka feel better- she used her rebuffed puppy eyes that she knew were a greater weapon than the Malevolence, in their own right. “It’s  _ lonely.”  _ Ahsoka chuckled a little at that, so she considered it a win. 

The Togruta walked in awkwardly, and sat on the edge of her bed. Anaka sighed. 

“Master, I’m fine, really. See? All four limbs and everything.” She wriggled both hands that rested atop the blanket. 

“That’s good. Great! Good. Um, yeah. Good.” Anaka raised an eyebrow. 

“Okay, Master, c’mon. What is it?” 

“The- umm. The Council wants to speak to you.”  _ Okay…?  _

“Okay… we can go talk to them now, then?” Ahsoka took a deep breath.

“No, Anaka, that’s not it. They want to talk to you alone.” 

“Oh.” She felt like someone had sucker punched her in the stomach.  _ They want to keep it a secret, from her.  _ She tried for a grin, but was sure it came out as more of a grimace. “Well, I guess that-”

“What was that, Anaka?”  _ Play dumb, play dumb.  _

“What was what?” Ahsoka gave her a  _ look.  _

“I’m smarter than that, Padawan. How did you do that? What does the Council so desperately not want me to know?! I’m your Master, forcedammit!” Anaka felt her eyes grow wide. Yes… she knew Ahsoka was scary, an impressive adversary on the battlefield. But this- she was terrified. Not of her, now. But of her when-  _ if,  _ she reminded herself- she found out. 

“Master- I- I really don’t know- I- that’s what the Council probably wants to talk to me about?” She could see Ahsoka wasn’t satisfied with her answer. She could still see the raging fire behind her blue eyes. The Knight took a deep breath.

“I- you’re right, Anaka. I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I really am glad you’re okay.” Then she got a devilish grin on her face. “Oh, and the Council wants to speak to you now.”  _ And? _

“Yeah… I know…” 

“No, like  _ now  _ now.” What?! But she was in a bed, with bedhead- oh.  _ Oh.  _ Ahsoka cheerily tossed her a holo transmitter, and walked out whistling, with her lekku swaying slightly.  _ That little-  _ well. The council was waiting. 

She sat up, leaning against the headboard, wincing slightly when she shifted.  _ How hard did I fall?  _ She typed in the code the Council Members had given her into the holo transmitter Ahsoka gave her. (Because she had a private number for the Council, lucky her.)

The blonde shook her head, blue-streaked waves shaking back and forth.  _ Huh. The bedhead’s still there.  _ She took in the slightly-paler-than-normal skin, and sighed. _ Here you go, Council. Anaka Skywalker: Uncovered.  _

The comm call opened up. Projected, in her hand, were the pixelated figures of Mace Windu, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, and Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Shaak Ti. She bowed her head as much as she could, in respect. 

“Masters.” The tiny version of the Jedi nodded back at her.

_ “Padawan Skywalker. Feeling better, are you?” _

“Yes, Master Yoda. Good as new.” She tried for a grin. Yoda wrinkled his brow, one of his ears twitching, as if knowing she was lying-  _ which she was-  _ but trying to cover up that knowledge.

“Know why we summoned you, you do.”  _ Cutting right to the chase, I see.  _

“Yes, Masters.”

“Anaka, what you did- we have never seen anything like it.” Obi-Wan admitted.  _ Oh.  _

“So you’re saying it wasn’t your normal run-of-the-mill force anomaly?” The fact that the Councilors didn’t even rebuke her spoke enough of the severity of the situation. 

“Skywalker. You know what we have to discuss.”  _ Yuhuh, Mace, but I really don’t want to.  _ She squeezed her eyes shut, and for a moment, she pictured she was back in her mother’s embrace.  _ “Don’t look back, Ani. You’ll be just fine.”  _ And then she died. 

“Yes, but Masters- it’s just a myth, right? It has to just be a myth.” Shaak Ti looked at her, sympathy present in her deep, violet eyes. 

“Know it is more than this, you do, Padawan.” Yoda spoke, fidgeting with his gimer stick.  _ Yoda. Fidgeting. Who would’ve thought?  _

“If I am this-”  _ Just say it, Anaka.  _ “If I am this  _ Chosen One,  _ what next?” The Jedi Masters all shared a look that made her feel very small. 

“We don’t know, Young One.” Plo Koon admitted. “We do not have all the facts- perhaps we never will.” Anaka swallowed, and sighed.  _ Alright. Time to look at it from a practical point of view. _

“Alright. What’s our best course of action? How do we find out more? Do we see the extent of my powers? And how? Maybe Master Tano and I could-”

“That… is another thing we wish to discuss with you, Padawan.” Ki-Adi spoke, sufficiently cutting off her ramble. 

“What is it, Masters?”  _ Was it something I said? Well, of course it was something I said, but what? _

“For the time being, we feel it is best to… not involve Knight Tano.” It felt as though all the air had left her lungs.  _ No no no nonononono-  _ no. She wouldn’t lie to Ahsoka. She couldn’t.

“Masters- what?” She would  _ not  _ lose Ahsoka’s trust. She had grown ridiculously fond of the Togruta, already thinking of her as an older sister. She knew that those feelings would foster into more-  _ love, attachment.  _ Her mind whispered. She knew it was against the code. She didn’t happen to care.

“A grave danger, it is, to you, and all those who know, if falls into the hands of the Sith, this information does.”  _ Yeah, but I can’t lie to my Master!  _

“Masters, I understand- but it doesn’t feel right if my Master doesn’t know. I understand your reasons, but wouldn’t it be  _ safer  _ if Ahsoka knows? That way, I won’t have to lie, I won’t make excuses, I don’t think this is okay!” Her chest was heaving by the end of her rant.  _ This is wrong, wrong, her mind says. _

“That’s enough, Padawan. We have our reasons. When you get back to the temple, we will discuss this more.”

“But Master-”

“That is an order, Padawan.”

“I-” For a moment, she considered arguing. Yelling at the Council, screaming about the injustice, and begging them to understand-  _ this would backfire. And the fallout would be on her.  _ But-  _ this is an order, Padawan.  _ She didn’t have a choice. Against her better judgement, she swallowed dryly, voice thick as she said, “Yes, Masters.” She turned the comlink off without being dismissed, and without a second thought. 

She leaned back against the pillows, posture slumping, but she didn’t register the slight pain.  _ I will come to regret this later. I’m pretty sure we all will.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so basically I'm just going to copy my end notes for this chapter from where it's cross-posted on Fanfiction.Net
> 
> ~~~
> 
> Okay, so on to the begging for forgiveness part:
> 
> Flumerfelt92 (I’ll respond to your review in a minute, gave me some really good food for thought, which I realized I hadn’t clarified enough for you guys! Anyway, their review was, “so this is a great idea for a story but the only problem is it seems your just doing canon”  
> So I have been re-writing this chapter a ton, trying to make sure I differentiate a bit more. Anyway, now to the responding!
> 
> Flumerfelt92: I’m really glad you think this is a great idea! That honestly means so much to me! Yes, I will acknowledge I have been sticking very close to canon, but there is a reason for that. Anakin and Ahsoka, in my opinion, are very similar. Yes, in this story they have different backgrounds (which will come into play later,) but not so much as to it affecting them at this point. I picture a 13-year-old Anakin acting a lot like how Ahsoka did in the beginning of TCW, so Anaka would act a lot like her. Similarly, older Ahsoka (since she hadn’t left the order,) and older Anakin are a lot alike, so I can’t imagine the battles playing out very differently. 
> 
> Palpatine’s plans are very different, now that there is no “Anakin Skywalker,” but his attempts to induce Anaka will not come into play until later, either. 
> 
> TCW still start the same way, basically, so I imagine that the beginning part will look a lot the same, only instead of General Skywalker messing up life for the Seppies, it’s General Tano.  
> So for this point in time for my characters, I really don’t see the canon events playing out that differently. I tried to spice things up a bit in this chapter, as I mentioned earlier, so if you please, tell me how I did!
> 
> As we get more in this story, (probably not in this installment but the next of this series,) you’ll start to see this become more and more AU. Thank you so, so much for reviewing! You commenting really helped me figure some stuff out, plus, it gave me the chance to clarify this. Thank you so much!
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> Hope that cleared some things up for you readers!!! Thank you so much for taking to time to read this, I apologize again for the delay!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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